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EXCFANGC 
JUL    29  I?'*? 


Popular  Associations  of  Right 

AND  Left  in  Roman 

Literature 


BY 

AJSTHONY   PELZER   WAGENER 


A  DISSEETATIOF 

SUBMITTED  TO  THE  BOARD  OP  UNIVERSITY  STUDIES  OF  THE  JOHNS 
HOPKINS  UNIVERSITY  IN  CONFORMITY  WITH  THE  REQUIRE- 
MENTS FOR  THE  DEGREE  OF  DOCTOR  OF  PHILOSOPHY 

19  lO 


y 


BALTIMORE 

J.    II.    FURST    COMPANY 

1912 


Popular  Associations  of  Right 

AND  Left  in  Roman 

Literature 


BY 


ANTHONY   PELZER  ^WAGENER 


A  DISSERTATIOIsr 

SUBMITTED  TO   THE  BOARD   OF  UNIVERSITY  STUDIES  OP  THE  JOHNS 
HOPKINS  UNIVERSITY  IN  CONFORMITY  WITH  JHE  REQUIRE- 
MENTS FOR  THE  DEGREE  OF  DOCTOR  OF  PHILOSOPHY 

1910 


BALTIMORE 

H.  FURST  COMPANY 
1912 


\ 


CdS^ 


TABLE    OF    CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

Introduction 5 

Bibliography    7 

The  Right  Hand  as  the  Active  Agent 9 

The  Right  Hand  as  a  Pledge  of  Good  Faith 13 

The  Right  Hand  in  the  Expression  of  Emotion 18 

The  Left  Hand  as  the  Dishonorable  Member 22 

Association  of  the  Right  with  the  Male,  of  the  Left  with  the  Female, .  31 

In  Dreams 31 

In  the  Determination  of  Sex 34 

Right  Side  as  the  Position  of  Honor 37 

iiridi^La  and  iirapia-Tepa    as  Orders  of  Procedure 39 

Superstitions  Based  upon  the  Derived  Associations  of  Right  and  Left.  41 

pes  dexter  and  pes  sinister 42 

The  Two  Ways 43 

Sneezing    44 

Right  and  Left  in  Augury 47 

Signa  impetrita 47 

Signa  oblativa 50 

Use  of  dexter,  sinister  and    laevus  with  derived  meanings 56 


263332 


POPULAR  ASSOCIATIONS  OF  RIGHT  AND 
LEFT  IN  ROMAN  LITERATURE 


INTEODUCTION 


^PopuL 


lar  associations  with  right  and  left  are  primitive  and 
universal.  At  all  events,  we  may  safely  conclude  that  the 
distinction  between  the  right  and  the  left  first  arose  in  con- 
nection with  the  hands;  and  from  the  earliest  period  we  find 
men  using  one  hand  in  preference  to  the  other.  Indeed,  it 
is  an  established  fact  that  human  beings  are  naturally  right- 
handed.-^ 

This  being  the  case,  the  right  hand  was  the  one  naturally 
employed  for  any  action  requiring  skill,  accuracy,  or  strength. 
In  contrast  with  the  left,  therefore,  it  came  to  be  regarded 
as  the  reliable  member.  "  This  distinction  appears  to  be  coeval 
with  the  earliest  use  of  language."  ^  As  the  right  was  the 
hand  used  by  the  majority  of  people,  it  was  the  regular  one 
to  use;  therefore  anything  done  by  it  was  done  in  the  regular 
and  correct  way.  Hence  the  result  was  most  likely  to  be 
favorable. 

Then  by  a  simple  step  the  right  hand  itself  began  to  be 
identified  with  the  favorable,  and  therefore  the  lucky.  From 
the  hand  the  transference  of  the  association  to  the  right  in 
general  was  quite  easy. 

The  development  in  the  case  of  the  left  proceeded  upon  lines 
exactly  parallel  to  those  followed  by  the  right,  although  tend- 
ing in  the  opposite  direction.  Thus  the  idea  of  weakness, 
uncertainty,  and  unreliability  was  ordinarily  attached  to  the 

*Sir  Daniel  Wilson,  Left-Handedness   (1891).. 
'  Wilson,  I.  c,  p.  76. 


'^•**r :    :  A  Right  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature. 

left.  This  would  naturally  suggest  the  unreliable  and  un- 
trustworthy in  a  moral  sense. -^ 

As  contrasted  with  the  right,  the  employment  of  the  left 
hand  was  unusual  and  therefore  unnatural.  It  is  a  well- 
known  fact  that  among  the  untrained  or  the  primitive  any 
departure  from  regular  custom  is  regarded  with  great  sus- 
picion. Hence  an  action  performed  with  the  left  hand  might 
be  looked  upon,  merely  for  that  reason,  as  ill-omened. 

As  a  final  step,  the  left  became  practically  synonymous  with 
the  unfavorable  and  the  unlucky. 

Such  in  brief  must  have  been  the  development  of  this  con- 
ception among  the  Romans,  as  well  as  among  other  nations 
and  races.  That  it  took  place  quite  early  is  proved  by  the 
fact  that  in  the  oldest  remains  of  Latin  and  Greek  literature 
we  find  the  characteristics  of  favorable  and  unfavorable,  lucky 
and  unlucky,  firmly  attached  to  right  and  left. 

In  this  investigation  the  main  lines  of  development  leading 
from  the  purely  physical  qualities  belonging  to  the  right  and 
left  hands  to  the  final  association  of  the  right  with  the  favor- 
able and  the  lucky,  and  the  left  with  the  unfavorable  and  the 
unlucky,  have  been  traced  as  far  as  was  practicable.  It  must 
be  borne  in  mind,  however,  that  this  development  cannot  be 
set  forth  chronologically.  As  the  whole  process  was  entirely 
completed  in  primitive  and  pre-literary  times,  all  the  stages 
represented  in  the  literature  exist  side  by  side,  at  one  and 
the  same  time. 


*  Wilson,  I.  c,  p.  75. 


Right  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature, 


BIBLIOGEAPHY 


In  the  course  of  this  investigation,  examination  has  been 
made  of  all  existing  Latin  literature  from  its  beginning 
through  the  writers  of  the  second  century  a.  d.  In  addition 
there  have  been  consulted  Prudentius;  Claudian;  Martianus 
Capella;  Pseudo-Pliny,  De  Medicina;  Marcellus,  De  Medica- 
mentis;  and  Pelagonius,  Ars  Veterinaria. 

For  comparison  the  following  Greek  authors  were  consulted, 
chiefly  by  means  of  indices:  Homer,  Iliad  and  Odyssey; 
Hesiod;  Aeschylus;  Sophocles;  Herodotus;  Euripides;  Thucy- 
dides;  Aristophanes;  Xenophon;  Plato;  Demosthenes;  Aris- 
totle; Plutarch;  Athenaeus;  Artemidorus;  Geoponica  (ed. 
Beckh,  Leipzig,  1895). 

Catalogue  of  the  Greeh  Papyri  in  the  John  Rylands  Library 
(1911),  :^o.  28,  pp.  56  ff. 

Diels,  Die  Fragmente  der  Yorsolcratiker,  Berlin,  1903. 

Melampus,  ^HepX    UaX/jLcov    MavTLKrj/  Ahhandlungen  der 

Icdniglichen  Preussischen  Ahademie  der  Wissenschaften, 
1907. 

Greeh  Papyri  in  the  British  Museum,  1,  I^os.  46,  47,  121,  122, 
123,  124,  125,  pp.  64-125. 

Meineke,  Fragmenta  Comicorum  Graecorum. 

Parthey,  ^  Zwei  griechische  Zauberpapyri  des  Berliner  Mu- 
seums,' Ahhandlungen  der  honiglichen  Ahademie  der 
Wissenschaften  zu  Berlin,  1865,  pp.  109  ff. 

Reiske,  Indices  Graecitatis  in  Singulos  Oratores  Atticos  (which 
includes  Antiphon,  Andocides,  Lysias,  Isaeus,  Iso- 
crates,  Aeschines,  Lycurgus,  and  Dinarchus). 

Wessely,  '  Griechische  Zauberpapyrus  von  Paris  u.  London,' 
Denhschriften  der  Jcaiserlichen  Ahademie  der  Wissen- 
schaften, Vienna,  1865,  pp.  109  ff. 


8  Bight  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature, 

The  chief  general  works  which  were  found  to  be  of  assistance 
are: 

Browne  (Sir  Thomas),  Pseudodoxia  Epidemica,  Bk.  4,  Ch.  4 

and  5  (ed.  by  Charles  Sajle,  London,  1904). 
Dieterich,  Nehyia,  Leipzig,  1893. 
Frjklund,  Les  Changements  de  Signification  des  Expressions 

de  Droite  et  de  Gauche  dans  les  Langues  Romanes  et 

Specialement  en  Frangais,  Upsala,   1907. 
Grimm,    Geschichte   der   deutschen   Sprache,   Leipzig,    1853. 
Teutonic  Mythology  (Trans,  by  Stallybrass),  London, 

1880-3. 
Marquardt,  Das  Privatlehen  der  Romer,  Leipzig,  1886. 

Romische  Btaatsverwaltung,  ed.  1881. 

Mommsen,  Romische  Staatsrecht,  ed.  1887. 
Preller-Jordan,  Romische  Mythologie,  Berlin,  1881-3. 
Ploss,  Das  Weib  in  der  Natur-  und  Yolkerhunde,  Leipzig,  1885. 
Yaleton,  '  De  Modis  Aiispicandi  Komanorum,'  Mnemosyne  17 

(1889),  pp.  275  ff. 
Wilson  (Sir  Daniel),  Lefthandedness,  London  and  !N'ew  York, 

1891. 
Wissowa,  Religion  und  Kultus  der  Romer,  Munich,  1902  (in 

Mailer's  Handbuch). 

Other  references  will  be  found  in  the  footnotes  in  connection 
with  special  points. 


Right  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature, 


THE  EIGHT  HAND  AS  THE  ACTIVE  AGENT 


/  Being  physically  the  superior,  the  right  hand  is  the  one 
naturally  employed  in  the  performance  of  any  work.  In  the 
words  of  Vergil  {Moretmn,  25)  :  '  laeva  ministerio,  dextra  est 
intenta  labori.'  So  too  in  war  it  is  the  right  hand  which 
carries  the  sword  and  other  offensive  weapons,  while  the  pro- 
tecting shield  is  entrusted  to  the  left.  Cicero  had  this  in 
mind  when  speaking  of  M.  Caelius  Rufus,  the  orator  (Quin- 
tilian,  Inst.  6,  3,  69) :  ^  Idem  per  allegoriam  M.  Caelium 
melius  obiicientem  crimina  quam  defendentem,  Bonam  dex- 
tram,  malam  sinistram  habere  dicebat.'  Cf.  Artemidorus, 
Onirocritica  1,  ch.  42 :  arj/xaiveLv  yap  ecj^r]  rrjv  fiev  Se^cav  %6t/3a 
T^  TTopc^o/jLeva  T7]v  8e  €VQ)w/jiov  TO,  ireTTopianeva,  97  fiev  yap 
TT/oo?  TO  Xa^elv  eTOC/JLo^^,  97  Se  i7rLT7J8eio<;  tt/oo?  to  (f)v\d^at.  Cf. 
5,  92.1 

From  these  two  causes  primarily  arose  the  association  of 
the  right  hand  with  the  active  agent.  Proofs  of  this  are 
numerous  throughout  the  literature: 

Horace,  Epodes,  7,  9 :  ^  sed  ut  secundum  vota  Parthorum 
sua  I  urbs  haec  periret  dextera  ? ' 

Vergil,  Aen.j  11,  384:  ^  quando  tot  stragis  acervos  |  Teu- 
crorum  tua  dextra  dedit,  passimque  tropaeis   |   insignis  agros.^ 

Of  similar  nature  are:  Accius,  Ex  Incert.  Fab.,  fr.  2,^ 
Catullus,  33,  1;  Varro,  Sat.  Men.  170,  13;  Vergil,  Aen.  1, 
98;  334;  2,  425;  3,  670;  5,  692;  6,  370;  879;  7,  474;  498; 
8,  354;  563;  567;  9,  320;  10,  279;  326;  333;  650;  773; 
830;  847;  11,  118;  172;  178;  267;  339;  408;  12,  14;  50; 
97;  428;  436;  538;  644;  659;  Eel.,  1,  35;  Culex,  192;  256; 
Tibullus,  3,  5,  9;  Horace,  Odes,  2,  17,  29;  3,  3,  52;  Sat.  2, 

*Cf.  p.  31. 

'Ribbeck,  Sc.  Rom.  Poes.  Frag.,  i,  p.  254. 


10  Right  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature. 

1,  54;  Propertius  3,  27,  39;  Livy  3,  57,  4;  6,  14,  4;  16,  2 
7,  32,  12;  22,  5,  6;  29,  11;  23,  45,  9;  27,  45,  7;  34,  46,  10 
35,  35,  17;  Ovid,  Met.  3,  305;  4,  175;  7,  342;  808;  8,  94 
342;  395;  9,  29;  10,  198;  11,  23;  12,  114;  311;  606;  13 
176;  355;  361;  14,  194;  539;  Ar}i.  2,  9,  36;  A.  A.  1,  694 

2,  78;  736;  Her.  6,  12;  10,  102;  12,  115;  14,  50;  Fast.  1 
569;  2,  10;  Trist.  5,  2,  16;  6,  14;  Ih.  526;  Pont.  2,  2,  13 
4,  7,  19;  Med.  Fac.  64;  Lucan,  Phars.  2,  167;  3,  18;  326 
740;  5,  355;  368;  7,  387;  8,  601;  Seneca,  Here.  Fur.  157 
518;  895;  968;  1005;  1010;  1197;  1281;  1318;  Phaed.  60 
396;  555;  680;  866;  Oed.  257;  261;  1002;  1038;  1048 
Agam.  50;  550;  628;  735;  890;  897;  Phoen.  173;  437 
Medea,  104;  645;  915;  Thyestes,  57;  147;  Troades,  165;  217 
306;  328;  1097;  1155;  Oet.  247;  297;  594;  Here.  Oet.  28 
520;  870;  901;  908;  932;  951;  977;  988;  995;  999;  1001 
1217;  1454;  1458;  1465;  1560;  1656;  1719;  Petronius,  122 
167;  Valerius  Placcus,  Arg.  6,  339;  Martial,  8y.,  23,  2;  1,  21 
1;  7;  7,  20,  16;  9,  61,  7;  11,  29,  1;  14,  208;  Statins,  8ilvae 

3,  4,  54;  Silins  Italicus,  Pun.,  5,  661;  6,  340;  9,  124;  10 
257;  12,  670;  15,  385;  744;  16,  145;  17,  296;  Juvenal,  15 
67,  Apuleius,  Met.  1,  13,  48;  8,  8,  532;  12,  539;  540;  11 
25,  807;  De  Deo  Socratis,  131;  Amm.  Marc.  14,  5,  8;  16 
12,  36;  12,  52;  25,  1,  15;  3,  7;  Prudentius,  c.  Symm.  2,  35 
Peristeph,  4,  9 ;  5,  300;  Martianus  Capella,  2,  135;  5,  425, 
1.  13;  Eibbeck,  8c.  Rom.  Poes.  Frag.  1,  p.  276,  'No.  15. 

With  his  right  hand  Jupiter  hurls  the  blazing  thunderbolt. 
Horace,  Odes,  1,  2,  1 ;  '  lam  satis  terris  nivis  atque  dirae  | 
Grandinis  misit  Pater  et  rubente  |  Dextera  sacras  iaculatus 
arces  |  Terruit  urbem.'  Vergil,  Georg.  1,  328 :  '^  ipse  pater 
media  nimborum  in  nocte  corusca  |  fulmina  molitur  dextra.' 
Ovid,  Met.  2,  60;  311;  Am.  3,  3,  30;  Fast.  1,  202;  Rem.  Am. 
370;  Martial  6,  83,  3. 

The  augur,  when  engaged  in  the  performance  of  his  office, 
held  the  lituus  in  his  right  hand.  Livy  1,  18,  7:  'augur  ad 
laevam  eius  capite  velato  sedem  cepit,  dextra  manu  baculum 
sine  nodo  aduncum  tenens,  quern  lituum  appellarunt.'      Cur- 


Right  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature.  11 

tins  Eufus,  Hist.  Alex.  4,  15,  27;  cf.  Apuleius,  Met.  11,  6, 
765;  12,  778. 

The  sceptre  was  usually  held  in  the  right  hand,  although 
we  find  mention  of  the  use  of  the  left  hand  also.  Ovid,  Fast. 
6,  37 :  ^  cur  igitur  regina  vocor  princepsque  dearum  ?  |  aurea 
cur  dextrae  sceptra  dedere  meae  ? '  Vergil,  Aen.  12,  206; 
Ovid,  Met.  3,  264;  Am.  3,  1,  34;  Seneca,  Oed.  642;  Left: 
Ovid,  Met.  7,  506 ;  Am.  3,  1,  13 ;  Valerius  Flaccus,  Arg.  2, 
590. 

Upon  such  associations  as  these  must  be  based  the  explana- 
tion of  the  specific  mention  of  the  right  hand  in  certain  con- 
nections, such  as: 

In  commanding  silence :  Persius,  4,  8 ;  Lucan,  Phars.  1, 
297;  Claudian,  15,  133. 

In  making  an  address:  Vergil,  Aen.  12,  196;  579;  Statins, 
Theh.'12,  255;  Silius  Italicus,  Pun.  2,  26;  Apuleius,  Met.  2, 
21,  142 ;  Orestis  Tragoedia,  685.^ 

In  restraining:  Vergil,  Aen.  2,  592;  12,  311;  Valerius 
Flaccus,  Arg.  3,  269;  Suetonius,  Til.  25,  22;  Apuleius,  Met. 
1,  17,  57;  25,  76;  26,  79;  Plato,  Protagoras,  335  D. 

In  pointing  out  an  object:  Apuleius,  Met.,  1,  12,  46.  ^ 

Vengeance  is  inflicted  upon  an  enemy  with  the  right  hand.  ' 
Seneca,  Medea,  531 :  ^  N^unc  summe  toto  luppiter  caelo  tona  | 
intende  dextram,  vindices  flammas  para.'  Prudentius,  Cath, 
5,  82 :  '  qui  domitam  Pharon  |  plagis  multimodis  cedere  prae- 
suli  I  cogis  iustitiae  vindice  dextera,'  Seneca,  Phoen.  91 ; 
Silius  Italicus,  II  Lat.  819  f  Pun.  15,  793. 

^  Dextram  conferre '  is  used  by  Prudentius  in  the  sense  of 
*  join  in  battle  with.'  Psychomachia,  240 :  ^  quam  pudet, 
o  Mavors  et  Virtus,  conscia,  talem  |  contra  stare  aciem  ferro- 
que  lacessere  nugas,  |  et  cum  virgineis  dextram  conferre  chor- 
eis.'      Cf.  Plautus,  Merc,  964;  Amm.  Marc.  16,  12,  37. 

jSince  it  is  with  the  right  hand  that  any  action  requiring 

^Baehrens,  Poet.  Lat.  Min.  5,  p.  249,  No.  55. 
'  Baehrens,  I.  c,  3,  p.  47. 


12  Right  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature, 

strength  is  performed^,  dextra  is  itself  often  identified  with 
strength  or  valor,  Ovid,  Met,  14,  108:  ^  "magna  petis,"  dixit 
"  vir  f actis  maxime  cuius  |  dextera  per  ferrum,  pietas  spectata 
per  ignes."  '  Vergil,  Aen.  2,  291;  Seneca,  Here.  Oet,  1174; 
Silius  Italicus,  Pun.  9,  436;  13,  161;  184;  378;  452;  15, 
92;  258;  733;  16,  32;  85;  550;  668;  II.  Lat.  275;  330  ;i 
Juvenal,  3,  48. 

Worthy  of  comparison  is  the  use  of  the  abstract  noun  '  dex- 
teritas,'  coined  from  dexter,  with  the  meaning  aptness  or 
readiness.  Livy,  28,  18,  6 :  '  tanta  autem  inerat  comitas 
Scipioni  atque  ad  omnia  naturalis  ingenii  dexteritas,  ut  .  .  .  '■ 
Livy,  37,  7,  15 ;  Aulus  Gellius,  13,  17,  1. 

Dextra  is  twice  found  used  for  the  whole  man.  This  trans- 
ference is  quite  natural.  Still  more  common  is  dextrae  equal 
to  milites.  Since  it  is  the  most  essential  part  of  a  soldier, 
the  entire  man  is,  as  it  were,  identified  with  his  right  hand. 
dextra  =  vir.  Silius  Italicus,  Pun.  7,  63  :  ''  certaverit  unus  | 
ter  centum  dextris.'      Lucan,  Phars.  3,  310. 

Quite  similar  is  the  occurrence  of  dextella  and  dextera  in 
the  sense  of  '  right  hand  man.'  Cicero,  Att.  14,  20,  5  :  ^  Quin- 
tus  filius,  ut  scribis,  Antonii  est  dextella.'  Elegia  in  Mae- 
cenatem,  13:  ^  ^  Regis  eras,  Etrusce,  genus;  tu  Caesaris  almi  | 
Dextera,  Romanae  tu  vigil  urbis  eras.' 

Dextrae  =milites:  Claudian,  5,  262:  ^  Spernisne  tuas,  dux 
optime,  dextras  |  Quas  tibi  victrices  totiens  Bellona  probavit.' 
Livy,  23,  9,  6 ;  Lucan,  Phars.  4,  207 ;  7,  366 ;  Silius  Italicus, 
Pun.  1,  348 ;  8,  402  ;  14,  238  ;  15,  495  ;  564 ;  16,  18. 

Interesting  in  this  connection  as  showing  the  belief  in 
the  general  superiority  of  the  right  over  the  left,  are  two 
passages  from  Pliny,  Nat.  Hist.  9,  15,  50:  '  thynni  dextera 
ripa  intrant,  exeunt  laeva,  id  accidere  existumatur,  quia  dextro 
oculo  plus  cernant  utroque  natura  hebeti ''  ;  and  17,  21,  153: 
*  sic  palmites,   nepotes,  uvae,  folia,  pampini  gignuntur,  mir- 

*  Baehrens,  I.  c,  3,  p.  21. 

^Baehrens,  Poet.  Lat.  Min.  1,  p.   126. 


Right  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature.  13 

umque  firmiora  esse  in  dextera  parte  genita.'  Cf.  Apuleius, 
Apologia^  61,  5. 

By  the  recognition  of  this  same  idea  is  furnished  also  an 
explanation  for  Seneca,  Ep.  Mor.  6,  1,  7 :  '  Dubio  et  incipi- 
ente  morbo  qnaeritur  nomen,  qui  ubi  talaria  coepit  intendere 
et  utrosque  dextros  pedes  fecit,  necesse  est  podagram  fateri.' 

Further  evidence  for  the  precedence  taken  over  the  left 
hand  by  the  right  is  furnished  by  the  ancient  system  of  finger 
counting.  In  this  units  and  tens  were  counted  on  the  left 
hand,  hundreds  and  thousands  on  the  right. ^  Juvenal,  10, 
248 :  '  Felix  nimirum,  qui  tot  per  saecula  mortem  |  Distulit 
atque  suos  iam  dextra  computat  annos.'  ^  ISTestor,  who  has 
lived  three  saecula  (i.  e.  100  years),  is  beginning  to  tell  his 
years  on  the  right  hand.'  Plautus,  Mil.  203;  Suetonius, 
Claud.  21,  32. 

It  is  in  these  fundamental  conceptions  that  the  ultimate 
reason  for  the  association  of  the  right  with  the  lucky  and 
favorable  and  of  the  left  with  the  unlucky  and  unfavorable 
must  be  sought.  From  such  a  starting  point  the  development 
is  natural  and  easily  understood. 


THE  EIGHT  HAND  AS  A  PLEDGE  OF  GOOD  FAITH 


[The  use  of  the  right  hand  as  a  pledge  of  good  faith  is  a 
practice  which  belonged  to  the  Romans  in  common  with  many 
other  peoples.  The  explanation  of  its  origin  is  obvious.  As 
has  been  already  noted,  in  fighting  the  weapons  for  attack 
were  carried  in  the  right  hand.  When  peace  therefore  was 
made  between  two  adversaries,  in  approaching  one  another  the 
right  hand  was  naturally  extended  to  show  that  it  was  weapon- 
less and  that  no  treachery  was  contemplated.  Then  to  ratify 
the  truce  the  two  right  hands  were  clasped.     Thus  very  easily 

*  Mayor,  Note  on  Juvenal,  10,  249:  Wilson,  Note  on  Juvenal,  10,  249. 


14  Right  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature. 

arose  the  conception  that  the  right  hand  was  the  especial  seat 
of  good  faith,  and  whenever  a  sign  of  good  faith  was  required, 
the  right  hand  was  involved  as  its  symbol.  Pliny,  Nat,  Hist. 
11,  45,  250:  ^  inest  et  aliis  partibus  qnaedam  religio,  sicut 
dexter  a  osculis  aversa  adpetitur,  in  fide  porrigitnr.'  Either 
the  actual  physical  hand  was  grasped,  or  it  might  be  used  in 
a  purely  symbolical  sense.  Here  may  be  mentioned  the  several 
signs  by  means  of  which  an  enemy  indicated  his  desire  to 
make  peace.  This  might  be  done  by  simply  stretching  out  his 
right  hand.  Xenophon,  Cyropaedia,  4,  2,  17-19 :  etc  tovtov 
Tre/JLTrei  rov  erepov  avrcop  tt/oo?  avrov^,  rd^af;  Xeyetv,  el  ^lXol 
elaCvj  0)9  rd')(^L(7Ta  viravrav  ra^  3ef  ta?  avareivavra^;  •  .  .  .  Kal 
OLX^Tai,  6  erepov  tcov  ayyeXcov  tt/oo?  avrois  Kal  tmv  i^fierepcov 
Ti9  aijv  avTcpj  ipovvre'^,  el  <^l\oi  elalv,  vTravTid^etv  ra?  Sefta? 
avaTeivavra^  irdvTa^.  ...  ol  he  'Tp/cdvLOL  aKOvaavre<;  roiv  ayye- 
\(DV  rjcrdrjcrdv  re  Kal  ava7rr}8r](TavTe<;  eirl  rov^  Xttitov^  Traprjaav 
rd^  8efta9,  coa-jrep  etpr^ro,  irpoTeCvovTe';.  Plutarch,  Sulla,  467  C 
/  Or  the  right  shoulder  might  be  uncoveredj  Caesar,  B.  G., 
7,  50,  2 :  ^  hi  similitudine  armorum  vehementer  nostros  per- 
terruerunt,  ac  tametsi  dextris  humeris  exsertis  animadverteban- 
tur,  quod  insigne  pacatorum  esse  consuerat,  tamen  id  ipsum 
sui  fallendi  causa  milites  ab  hostibus  factum  existimabant.' 

Or  a  branch  of  olive  might  be  extended  in  the  right  hand. 
Silius  Italicus,  Pun.  13,  68:  ^  tum,  pignora  pacis  |  praetendens 
dextra  ramum  canentis  olivae.' 

(  In  all  of  these,  of  course,  the  object  is  to  prove  the  absence  of 
weapons. 

Other  similar  uses  of  the  right  hand  are: 

As  a  pledge  of  friendship  and  alliance:  Yergil,  Aen.  3,  83: 
^  iungimus  hospitio  dextras  et  tecta  subimus '  ;  Euripides, 
I  ph.  in  Aidis,  57:  Kal  viv  elarfkOev  rdSe,  |  6pKov<i  crvvd^jraL 
Se^id^  re  crvfji/3a\elv  |  /xvTjarrjpa^  dXXrjXoio-L;  [Caesar],  Bdl. 
Alex.  24,  2;  Vergil,  Aen.  1,  408 ;  514;  6,  697;  8,  163; 
169;  467;  9,  741;  11,  165;  292;  Livy,  7,  42,  6;  22,  30, 
6;  23,  9,  3;  25,  16,  13;  Ovid,  Met.  6,  447;  506;  Her.  2, 
31;  12,  90;  Curtius  Eufus,  Hist.  Alex.  6,  5,  4;  10,  11;  Seneca, 


Right  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature.  15 

Here,  Fur,  371;  Valerius  Flaccus,  Arg,  3,  18;  6,  12;  T,  344; 
Statins,  Theh,  1,  470;  2,  149;  3,  699;  6,  268;  Silius  Italicus, 
Pun,  6,  421;  8,  59;  11,  149;  13,  76;  15,  288;  16,  154;  Sue- 
tonius, Caes,  81,  22;  Aulus  Gellius,  12,  8,  3;  Claudian,  3, 
223 ;  13,  7 ;  15,  352 ;  Maximianus,  Elegiae,  3,  75 ;  ^  AnthoL 
Lat.  198,  1.  71  2;  208,  1.  47^;  Baehrens,  Poet,  Lat,  Min,  5, 
p.  421,  ]^o.  113,  1.  5;  E'o.  118,  1.  86;  Aristophanes,  Frogs, 
789;  Xenophon,  Cyrop,  4,  2,  7  and  13;  6,  10;  5,  2,  14;  6, 
3,  13;  Oec,  4,  25. 

iJ^he  right  hand  was  given  to  ratify  a  treaty  or  an  agreement, 
and  also  as  a  pledge  of  reconciliation.  Livy,  3,  2,  3 :  ^  legatos  in 
concilium  gentis  missos  nuntiare  iussit  Q.  Fabium  consulem  di- 
cere  se  ex  Acquis  pacem  Romam  tulisse,  ab  Roma  Acquis  bellum 
adferre  eadem  dextera  armata,  quam  pacatam  illis  antea  de- 
derat '  ;  Plutarch,  Crassus,  562  F:  ^ovprjva^  he  .  ,  ,  rrjv  he 
he^LCLV  TTpovTetvev,  i/caXet  he  top  K-pdaaov  eirl  avfji/Sdaetf; ;  Cor- 
nelius ISTepos,  2  (Them.)  8,  4;  Livy,  1,  1,  8 ;  C\irtius  Rufus, 
Hist,  Alex.  6,  7,  35;  8,  12,  10;  Sophocles,  Philoct,  942; 
Euripides,  Medea,  898 ;  Xenophon,  Anah.  1,  66 ;  7,  3,  1 ;  Cyrop, 
3,  2,  14;  8,  8,  2;  Hist,  Graec,  4,  1,  15  and  29;  Plutarch, 
Flamininus,  372  A. 

Hence  the  use  of  dextra  data,  dextrae  datae,  in  the  sense 
of  treaty  or  agreement.  Vergil,  Aen,  10,  515  :  ^  Pallas,  Evan- 
der,  in  ipsis  |  omnia  sunt  oculis,  mensae,  quas  advena  primas  | 
tunc  adiit,  dextraeque  datae  '  ;  Vergil,  Aen.  4,  307;  7,  366; 
Livy,  30,  13,  8;  41,  25,  1.  11;  Ovid,  Met,  14,  297;  Silius 
Italicus,  Pun,  17,  67. 

The  data  or  datae  is  frequently  omitted,  and  dextra  or 
dextrae  is  given  the  same  signification.  Livy,  29,  24,  3: 
*  litteras  dat  ad  regem,  quibus  etiam  atque  etiam  monet  eum,  ne 
iura  hospitii  secum  neu  cum  populo  Romano  initae  societatis 
neu  fas,  fidem,  dexteras,  deos  testes  atque  arbitros  conventorum 
fallat'  ;  Vergil,  Aen.,  6,  613;  Valerius  Flaccus,  Arg.  7,  651; 

*  Baehrens,  Poet.  Lat.  Min.  5,  p.  336,  No.  57. 
'  Baehrens,    I.    c,   4,    p.    195. 
"Baehrens,  I.  c,  4,  p.  239. 


16  Right  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature. 

Statius,  Theh.  3,  165;  Silius  Italicus,  Pun,  11,  545;  Tacitus, 
Ann.  2,  58,  1.  Ae^td  is  similarly  used  in  Greek.  Homer, 
Iliad,  2,  340 :  iv  irvpl  8r}  jSovXai  re  yevoiaro  fJLrjBed  r'  av8pa>v,  \ 
airovSai  r^  aKprjToi  Kal  he^iaC,  rj^  eTreinO fiev  \  Luoan,  Phars.  2, 
126 ;  Homer,  Iliad,  4,  159 ;  Xenophon,  Cyrop.  6,  1,  11 ; 
Oxyrhynchus  Papyri,  3,  l^o.  533,  1.  18;  Fayum  Towns  and 
Their  Papyri  (1900),  E'o.  124,  1.  13. 

As  the  right  hand  was  so  closely  associated  with  peace,  when 
one  party  wished  to  enter  into  concord  and  alliance  with 
another,  right  hands  were  sometimes  sent  hy  envoys  as  sym- 
bolic of  this  desire.  These  hands  were  probably  actual  repre- 
sentations. Tacitus,  Hist.  2,  8,  12 :  ^  centurionemque  Sisen- 
nam,  dextras,  eoncordiae  insignia,  Suriaci  exercitus  nomine 
ad  praetorianos  ferentem,  variis  artibus  adgressus  est,  donee 
Sisenna  clam  relicta  insula  trepidus  et  vim  metuens  aufuger- 
et '  ;  Xenophon,  Anah.  2,  4,  1 :  ev  he  ravrai^  a^iKvovvTai  tt/oo? 
^Kpialov  Kol  ol  aSeX^ol  koX  ol  dXkoL  avaj/caloL  Kal  Tr/ao?  tov9 
avv  iK€LVQ)  Hepacov  rtve^,  irapeOappwov  re  kol  3efia?  ivLOL<;  irapa 
paa-Lk€(0^  €cf>€pov  fir)  /JLvrjaL/caKrja-eiv  fiaanXea,  avTol^  rrjf;  crvv 
"Kvpco  iirLaTparela^i  Cornelius  IsTepos,  14  (Datames),  10,  1  &  2 ; 
Plutarch,  Antonius  932  E. 

When  dying,  Darius  ordered  his  right  hand  to  be  carried 
to  Alexander.  Curtius  Rufus,  Hist.  Alex.  5,  13,  30:  ^  Dex- 
tram  deinde  protendit,  eamque  Alexandre,  fidei  regiae  pignus, 
ferri  iubens,  apprehensa  Polystrati  manu  animam  efflavit.' 

!So  also  the  same  act  served  as  a  sign  of  hospitality.  Taci- 
tus, Hist.  1,  54,  1 :  ^  Miser  at  ci  vitas  Lingonum  vetere  insti- 
tute dona  legionibus  dextras,  hospitii  insigne.' 

Finally,  then,  the  right  hand  in  itself  is  a  symbol  and  a 
pledge  of  good  faith,  Cicero,  Phil.  11,  2,  5:  *  dexterae,  quae 
fidei  testes  esse  solebant,  sunt  perfidia  et  scelere  violatae  ^ ; 
Euripides,  Medea,  20 ;  MrjSeca  8'  y  hvar'qvo^  riri/JLaa-fievr)  |  ySoa 
fikv  opKov^y  avaKoXel  he  he^ia^  |  ttCcttlv  fieyiaTi^v ;  Vergil, 
Aen.  4,  597;  Livy,  1,  21,  4;  28,  35,  1;  Curtius  Eufus,  Hist. 
Alex.  4,   14,  25;   6,  10,   14;   Seneca,  Medea,  248;   Valerius 


Right  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature,  17 

Flaccus,  Arg,  5,  494;  Silius  Italicus,  Pun,  11,  252;  Pliny, 
Pan,  66,  24;  Aristotle,  Rhet,,  A,  14,  5. 

Thus  in  making  a  promise  the  right  hand  was  given  as  a 
pledge  of  its  fulfilment.  Cicero,  Phil.  10,  4,  9  :  ^  quae  quidem 
nunc  M.  Bruti  imperio,  auctoritate,  copiis  non  instructa  solum, 
sed  etiam  ornata  tendit  dexteram  Italiae  suumque  ei  praesi- 
dium  pollicetur  ' ;  Livy,  1,  7,  11 :  ^  dextra  Hercules  data 
accipere  se  omen  impleturumque  fata  ara  condita  ac  dicata 
ait '  ;  Plutarch,  Pelopidas,  292  C:  rod  8e  IleXoTriSov  rrjv  ho^av 
avTTjv  Kol  Tovvo/Jba  8e8oLKOt)<;  aTrrjVTrjcrev  &)?  fCpeLcraovc  ical 
8e^LCt)o-dfJL€vo<;  koX  8er)6eU  o)  fioXoyrjae  Trjv  fiev  apxv^  toI<; 
Tov  TeOvrjfcoTo^  aSe\(^ot9  Bta<f>v\d^€LP ;  Livy,  1,  58,  7;  30,  12, 
18;  40,  46,  40;  Sophocles,  Philoct.  1398;  Euripides,  Helen, 
838. 

This  was  part  of  the  symbolism  by  which  an  oath  was 
regularly  ^accompanied.  Tacitus,  Ann.  2,  71,  20 :  '  iuravere 
amici  dextram  morientis  contingentes,  spiritum  ante  quam 
ultionem  amissuros';  Demosthenes,  Kara  MetStov,  553,  12 
(Reiske)  :  rrj  8^  varepaia  iraXiv  av  .  .  .  elcreXdcov  0LKa8e  ©9 
eKelvov  Kal  i(f)e^rj^  ovrcocrl  KaOi^oixevo^,  Trjv  8e^iav  i/JL^aXcbVy 
irapovTODv  ttoWcov  .  .  .  (ofivve  jxev  .  .  .  ;  Tacitus,  Ann.  11,  9,  11. 

So  also  the  right  hand  was  sometimes  sworn  by,  per  dextram. 
Vergil,  Aen.  1,  2Z4::  '  fata  per  Aeneae  iuro  dextramque  poten- 
tem,   I   sive  fide  seu  quis  bello  est  expertus  et  armis.' 

It  is  called  upon  as  a  witness.  Vergil,  Aen.  9,  287:  ^  banc 
...  linquo  (nox  et  tua  testis  |  dextera)  quod  nequeam  lacri- 
mal perferre  parentis.' 

As  one  of  the  ceremonies  which  took  place  during  the  cele- 
bration of  a  marriage,  the  right  hand  of  the  bridegroom  was 
joined  with  that  of  the  bride. ^  Claudian,  Epith.  Laurentii 
(71),  64:  ^  Surge  age  iam  iuvenis:  dextram  complectere  spon- 
sae '  ;  Euripides,  Iph.  in  Aulis,  831:  KA.  fjbelvov  tl  <f>eih- 
7ei9 ;    8e^Ldv    r'   efxy  %e/3l    |    (rvva'^ov,    apxv^    fiatcapLCov    vvfMcpev- 

■  j> 
^Marquardt,  Privatleben  der  Romer,  1,  p.  50. 


18  Right  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature, 

/jLciTcov.  AX.  TL  <^rj^i  iyco  aoi  Se^tdp;  Vergil,  Aen.  4,  104; 
Claudian,  31,  128;  40,  53;  Epithalamium  Laurentii  Aliaque, 
66;  1'  Xenophon,  Cyrop.  8,  4,  25  and  26. 


THE  EIGHT  HAND  IX  THE  EXPEESSIOX  OF 
EMOTION 


In  tlie  expression  of  varying  emotions  the  right  hand  played 
an  important  part.     The  right  hand  was  grasped  or  kissed 
as  a  mark  of  reverence :/ Lucan,  PJiars,   2,   113:    ^  Spes  una 
salutis  I  oscula  pollutae  fixisse  trementia  dextrae ' ;  cf .  Florus, 
Epitoma,  2,  9,   16.     Xenophon,   Cyrop,  3,  2,   14:    aKovaavre^ 
8e  ol  HaXBaloL  ravra    TroWa    fiev    iTratvea-avre^,    iroWa    Be    Se- 
^Lcoadfievot  cd')(ovTo    oLKaSe;    Vergil,  Aen.  7,  266;  Silins  Itali- 
cus,  Pun.  18,  183;  Suetonius,  Nero,  13,  8;  Claudian,  15,  231; 
20,  QQ;  24,  6;  26,  619;  Anthol  Lat.  206,  1.  88;  Euripides, 
Ivh.  in  Aulis,  866 ;  Parthey,  I.  c.  1,  1.  77. 
[  Clasping  the  right  hand  was  a  sign  of  deep  affection :  Ver- 
gil, ylen.   8,   558 :    ^  tum  pater  Evandrus  dextram  complexus 
euntis  |  haeret ' ;  Xenophon,  Hist.  Graec.  5,  1,  3 :  6  Be  TeXeurta? 
fiafcapLCOTaTa  Srj    aireirXevorev  OiKaSe.      r)vifca    yap    eVi    OoXarrav 
Kare^aivev,   eir'   oXicov   opfJLco/JLevo^,   ovSeh    eicelvov  tojv  o-rpaTtcoTMV 
09  ovfc  iSe^LQxraTo ;   Vergil,  Aen.   9,   250 ;   Seneca,  Phoen.  450 
Tacitus,  Ann.  15,  71,  1;^  Xenophon,   Cyrop.  5,  3,  20;  5,  7 
7,  5,  53 ;  Sophocles,  Track.  1181 ;  ^  Euripides,  Heraclidae,  307 
Ipli.  in  Aulis  339;  471;  Aristophanes,   Clouds,  81.^ 

Grasping  a  right  hand  indicated  joy :  Xenophon,  Hist.  Graec. 
7,  2,  9  :  ewOa  Brj  OedaaorOai  Traprjv  errl  tt}?  a(i)T7jpia<;  rov<;  jxev 
dvBpa^  Se^LovfJievov^  aWi]\ov<i  Ta<;  Be  yvval/ca^  irielv  re  <j)€pov(Ta<i 
.  .  .    ;  Plutarch,  Agesilaus,  612  C. 

^  Baehrens,  Poet.  Lat.  Min.  3,  p.  299,  No.  42. 

*  Here  the  idea  of  reverence  also  is  probably  involved. 
«Cf.  Iliad,  6,  233. 

*  Cf .  Note  of  Blaydes. 


Right  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature,  19 

According  to  Plutarch  (de  Project,  in  Yirt.  85  C),  a  mes- 
senger indicated  the  fact  that  he  was  bringing  joyful  news 
by  stretching  oat  his  right  hand :  ^AXe^avSpo^  fiev  yap  m 
eoLKev,  djjeXov  IScov  nrepixcip^  irpoadeovTa,  /cal  ttjv  Be^tdv  tt/oo- 
reCvovra  .   .   . 

One  gave  the  right  hand  to  express  gratitude;  one  clasped 
the  right  hand  of  one's  benefactor:  Livy,  28,  9,  6:  ^  non  salu- 
tabant  modo  universi  circumfusi  sed  contingere  pro  se  quis- 
que  victrices  dextras  consulum  cupientes,  alii  gratulabantur, 
alii  gratias  agebant,  quod  eorum  opera  incolumis  res  publica 
esset';  Plutarch,  Alexander,  690  A  (ch.  43):  aW  ^AXe^av- 
8po(;  aTToSwaet  aot  rrjv  X^P^^ '  *AXef  az^S/^o)  Se  ol  Tr]<;  et?  /jLrjrepa 
Kal  ryvvatKa  fcal  7ral8a<;  tov<;  e/xou?  eirieLKeCa^,  w  ravTrjv  SlSco/jlc 
TTjv  Se^taj.  Sia  aov,  Livy,  26,  50,  9;  Ovid,  Met.  8,  421;  So- 
phocles, Oed.  at  Colonus,  1130;  Plutarch,  de  Adul.  et  Am.  63  E. 
C  Grief  might  be  expressed  by  striking  the  breast  or  the  fore- 
head with  the  right  hand,  or  even  by  simply  stretching  it  out. 
Seneca,  Troades,  106 :  '  iam  nuda  vocant  pectora  dextras '  ; 
Apuleius,  Met.  1,  7,  31-32:  ^  iam  adlubentia  proclivis  est 
sermonis  et  ioci  et  scitum  et  cavillum,  iam  dicacitas  <  in  > 
timida  cum  ille  imo  de  pectore  cruciabilem  suspiritum  ducens 
dextra  saeviente  f  rontem  replaudens :  "  me  miserum,''  infit ' ; 
Vergil,  Aen.  10,  821 ;  ^  at  vero  ut  voltum  vidit  morientis  et 
ora  I  ...  ingemuit  miserans  graviter  dextramque  tetendit ' ; 
Plutarch,  Eunienes  587  D:  nrvOopievo^  he  ttjv  Kparepov  reXev- 
rrjv  Kal  irpoaeXdaa^,  o)?  elhev  ifiirveovTa  Kal  (rvvievra,  KaraPm 
airehaKpvae  Kal  rrjV  he^tav  eVeySaXe,  Kal  iroWa  fjuev  iXoiSoprjae 
TOP  NeoTTToXe/JioVj  iroXXd  Se  eKelvov  fxev  (LKTiaaro  ttj^  'tvxv^  ? 
Seneca,  Troad.  117;  Martial,  2,  11,  5;  Apuleius,  Met.  1,  7, 
31-32. 

Similar  is  the  expression  of  anger.  Apuleius,  Met.  6,  9, 
396:  ^  quam  ubi  primum  inductam  oblatamque  isibi  conspexit 
Venus,  latissimum  cachinnum  extollit  et  qualem  solent  furen- 
ter  irati,  caputque  quatiens  et  ascalpens  aurem  dexteram  .  .  .' 

So  too,  to  show  anger  towards  the  gods,  right  hands  were 


20  Right  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature, 

raised  to  the  skj.  Lucan,  Phars,  8,  148 :  ^  sic  litore  toto  | 
plangitur,  infestae  tenduntur  in  aetliera  dextrae.' 

Right  hands  were  clasped  at  parting.  Hence,  the  relatives 
and  friends  of  a  dying  man  grasped  his  right  hand  when 
bidding  him  the  last  farewell;  Livy,  26,  14,  4:  '  inde  misso 
convivio  dextris  inter  se  datis  nltimoque  complexu  conlacri- 
mantes  suum  patriaeque  oasnm  alii,  nt  eodem  rogo  crema- 
rentur,  manserunt,  alii  domos  digressi  sunt '  ;  Xenophon, 
Cyrop.  8,  7,  26:  el'  tl^  ovv  v/jlcov  r)  8e^id<;  ^ovXerai  ttj^  iiJLrj<i 
d'\jraa6aL,  ^  o/jl/jlu  rovfJLOv  ^oovro^  ere  Trpoaihelv  edeXei,  irpoaLTCo  • 
.  .  .  TavT  elircov  /cat  7rcivTa<i  Be^LCO(Tdfievo<i  iveKaXv-xjraTO,  koI 
ovTco^  erekevTrjaev,  Ovid,  Met.  6,  494;  Euripides,  AlcestiSy 
193;  Iph.  in  Aulls,  679  ;  Xenophon,  Cyrop.  7,  3,  8. 

An  old  and  well-established  custom  was  that  of  giving  the 
right  hand  in  greeting.  Ovid,  Met.  7,  494 :  '  Aeacidae  longo 
iuvenes  post  tempore  visum  |  Agnovere  tamen  Cephalum,  dex- 
trasque  dedere,  |  Inque  patris  duxere  domum '  ;  Demosthenes, 
De  Corona,  332,  8  (Reiske)  :  ovk  iirl  puev  tol<;  erepcov  evTV- 
yrjfjbaa-i  ^aihpo^  iyoi)  /cal  y€<y7)9co<;  tcara  ttjv  ayopav  Trepiep- 
^ofiaL,  rr)v  Se^cav  irporeivcov  koX  evayyeXt^o/jievo^  tovtol^^  oik; 
dv  eKelcre  dirayyeXelv  occofjuac;  Plautus,  Men.  138;  AuL  116; 
Lucretius,  1,  316;  Vergil,  Aen,  3,  610;  8,  124;  Horace,  Ep. 

1,  6,  51;  Livy,  45,  12,  1.  7  and  1.  17;  Curtius  Rufus,  Hist, 
Alex.  6,  5,  2;  Seneca,  Here.  Fur.  297;  Valerius  Flaccus,  Arg. 

2,  638;  Silius  Italicus,  Pun.  6,  397;  Martial,  2,  21,  1 ;  Homer, 
Iliad,  10,  542;  Xenophon,  Anah.  7,  4,  19;  Cyrop.  6,  3,  36; 
Hist.  Graec.  4,  1,  15;  Plutarch,  Pompey,  658  C;  Cato  Minor, 
765  C ;  Comp.  Lys.  cum  Sulla,  478  A ;  Crassus,  550  E ;  de  Gen, 
Socr.  597  F. 

In  making  supplications  or  prayers  the  right  hand  played 
a  conspicuous  part.  Statins,  8ilvae,  1,  2,  67:  'at  tandem 
lacrimis,  et  supplice  dextra  |  et  votis  precibusque  viri  concede 
moveri '  ;  Ovid,  Met.  3,  721 ;  Petronius,  121,  100 ;  Valerius 
Elaccus,  Arg.  4,  11;  Statins,  Silv.  5,  1,  258;  Achil.  1,  365; 
Theh.  11,  688 ;  Tacitus,  Ann.  12,  19,  1. 

According  to  circumstances  the  suppliant  merely  stretched 


Eight  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature,  21 

out  his  right  hand  in  entreaty:  Yergil,  Aen.  11,  414;  Silius 
Italicus,  Pun,  2,  413 ;  Diphilus,  l^coypacj^o^:,  2,  1,  23.^  Or 
the  person  supplicated  was  held  fast  by  the  suppliant :  Valerius 
Flaccus,  Arg,  7,  475 :  ^  turn  vero  extremo  percussa  dolore  | 
Arripit  Aesoniden  dextra,  ac  summissa  profatur.'  Or  the 
feet  of  the  supplicated  were  clasped  by  the  suppliant:  Seneca, 
Troad.  691 :  '  Ad  genua  accido  |  supplex,  Ulixe,  quamque 
nullius  pedes  |  novere  dextram  pedibus  admoveo  tuis  ' ;  Sen- 
eca, Troad,  708.  Or  the  suppliant  grasped  the  right  hand 
of  the  person  to  whom  the  supplication  was  addressed.  This 
right  hand  was  either  clasped  or  kissed.  Livy,  30,  12,  17: 
*  itaque  cum  modo  genua  modo  dextram  amplectens  in  id,  ne 
cui  Romano  traderetur,  Mem  exposceret '  ;  Silius  Italicus, 
Pun.  12,  591:  ^  ostentant  parvos  vagituque  incita  pulsant  | 
corda  virum  armatis  infigunt  oscula  dextris '  ;  Euripides, 
Medea,  496:  (f)€v  Se^ca  %€t/o  ^9  av  ttoXX'  iXafjL^dvov,  |  Kal 
TMvSe  yovdrcou;  Aristophaues,  i^V-o^s  754;  &  ^ol^'  "AttoWov, 
efx^aXe  fJLOL  ttjv  Be^tdv,  |  koI  So?  Kvcrat  KavTo<;  Kvaov,  fcal  fiot 
<j)pd<T0Vj  I  7r/309  Afco9,  09  .  .  .  ;  Plautus,  Cure.  339 ;  Livy,  1, 
41,  2 ;  30,  12,  12 ;  Ovid,  Met.  7,  89 ;  Curtius  Rufus,  Hist.  Alex. 

6,  7,  8;  [Seneca],  Oct.  627;  Petronius,  121,  100;  Pliny,  Nat, 
Hist.  11,  250  (103);  Statins,  Achil.  1,  48;  Theh.  9,  418; 
Silius  Italicus,  Pun.  6,  461 ;  U.  Lat.  688 ;  ^  Euripides,  Hippo- 
lytus,  333 ;  Hecuba,  342 ;  Heracleidae,  844. 

As  in  the  taking  of  oaths,  per  dextram  and  tt/oo?  Be^id';  are 
also  used  in  supplication.  This  latter  use  is  much  the  more 
common.  Plautus,  AmpJi.  923 :  ^  per  dexter  am  tuam  te,  Alcu- 
mena,  oro  obsecro,  |  da  mihi  banc  veniam,  ignosce,  irata  ne 
sies  '  ;  Euripides,  Iph.  in  Tauris,  1068:  aXkd  irpo^  ere  Se^idf;  | 
o-e  fcal  a  Ifcvovfiac;  Plautus,  Capt.  4:4:2;  Terence,  And.  289; 
Sallust,  Jug.  10,  3;  Vergil,  Aen.  4,  314;  Horace,  Epist.  1, 

7,  94;  Silius  Italicus,  Pun.  12,  577;  Apuleius,  Met.  4,  11, 
261;  6,  2,  385;  Euripides,  Hippolytus,  605;  Hecuha,  753; 
Iph.  in  Aulis,  709 ;  Aristophanes,  Thesmoph,  936. 

*  Meineke,,  I.  c,  i,  p.  395. 

'Baehrens,  Poet.  Lat.   Min.   3,   p.   41. 


22  Bight  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature, 


THE  LEFT  HAND  AS  THE  DISHONOEABLE  MEMBER 


In  a  manner  parallel  to  that  followed  by  the  right  hand, 
but  developing,  of  course,  in  exactly  the  opposite  direction,  the 
left  hand  came  to  be  associated  with  the  unnatural,  hence  the 
dishonorable,  and  ultimately  the  unlucky  or  unfavorable.  As 
proof  of  the  character  of  dishonor  which  is  attached  to  it, 
the  explanation  given  by  Pliny  for  the  origin  of  the  custom 
of  wearing  the  ring  on  the  left  hand  is  important.  That  this 
was  the  practice  in  antiquity  as  well  as  in  modem  times  is 
well  attested.  Petronius,  Cena  Trimalchionis,  32,  3 :  ^  habebat 
etiam  in  minimo  digito  sinistrae  manus  anulum  grandem  sub- 
auratum  extremo  vero  articulo  digiti  sequentis  minorem,  ut 
mihi  videbatur  totum  aureum,  sed  plane  ferreis  veluti  stellis 
f erruminatum ' ;  also  Horace,  Sat.  2,  7,  9 ;  Livy,  1,  11,  8-9; 
Ovid.  Am.  3,  8,  15;  Suetonius,  Caes.  33,  6;  Nero,  20,  23. 

Pliny  {Nat.  Hist.  33,  1,  12)  says:  ^  f abricae  etiam  deum 
fibulas  et  alia  muliebris  cultus  sicut  inauris  in  primordio  f  acti- 
tasse,  sine  mentione  anulorum.  Et  quisquis  primus  instituit 
cunctanter  id  fecit,  laevis  manibus  latentibusque  induit,  cum, 
si  honos  securus  fuisset,  dextra  fuerit  ostentandus.  Quodsi 
impedimentum  potuit  in  eo  aliquod  intelligi,  etiam  serioris 
usus  argumentum  est,  et  mains  in  laeva  fuisset  qua  scutum 
capitur.'  According  to  this  passage,  the  first  person  to  intro- 
duce the  custom  of  wearing  rings  was  ashamed  of  it ;  and  for 
that  reason  placed  the  ring  on  the  left  hand,  as  there  it  was  not 
so  prominent.  It  is  further  stated  that  had  it  been  certain 
that  the  innovation  was  entirely  honorable,  the  right  hand 
would  have  been  the  one  to  receive  the  ring.  The  inference 
is  evident  that  Pliny  considered  the  left  hand  to  be  by  nature 
suited  for  anything  to  which  clung  the  slightest  taint  of  dis- 
honor. He  adds  that  the  custom  may  be  attributed  to  the 
impediment  to  freedom  of  action  caused  by  the  presence  of 
a  ring,  which  is,  of  course,  the  true  explanation.  This,  how- 
ever, is  aside  from  the  question,  and  does  not  detract  from  the 


Bight  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature.  23 

main  idea  of  the  association  between  the  left  and  the  dis- 
honorable. 

Aulus  Gellins  (10,  10,  1)  gives  another  explanation,  which 
seems  to  be  exactly  opposite  to  that  given  by  Pliny :  ^  Veteres 
Graecos  anulum  habuisse  in  digito  accepimus  sinistrae  manus, 
qui  minimo  est  proximus.  Romanes  quoque  homines  aiunt  sic 
plerumque  anulis  usitatos.  Causum  huius  rei  Apion  in  libris 
Aegyptiacis  banc  dicit,  quod  insectis  apertisque  humanis  cor- 
poribus,  ut  mos  in  Aegypto  fuit,  quas  Graeci  dvaTOfia^  appel- 
lant, repertum  est,  nervum  quondam  tenuissimum  ab  eo  uno 
digito  de  quo  diximus,  ad  cor  hominis  pergere  ac  pervenire; 
propterea  non  inscitum  visum  esse,  eum  potissimum  digitum 
tali  honore  decorandum  qui  continens  et  quasi  conexus  esse 
cum  principatu  cordis  videretur.' 

The  contradiction  is,  however,  easily  removed  when  we  con- 
sider that  Gellius  approached  the  problem  from  an  aspect 
entirely  different  from  that  of  Pliny.  He  starts  with  the 
supposition  that  by  placing  a  ring  upon  the  left  hand  an  espec- 
ial honor  was  conferred  upon  it.  Pliny's  hypothesis,  on  the 
other  hand,  is  exactly  opposite.  Gellius  was,  therefore,  trying 
to  find  an  explanation  for  the  left  hand,  which  he  knew  to  be 
essentially  dishonorable,  being  honored  in  this  manner.  Pliny 
{Nat.  Hist.  33,  1,  9)  supports  Gellius  in  this  view:  ^  Manus 
et  prorsus  sinistrae  maximam  auctoritatem  conciliavere  auro, 
non  quidem  E,omanae,  quarum  in  more  ferrei  erant  et  vir- 
tu tis  bellicae  insigne.' 

The  association  between  the  left  hand  and  stealing,  Plautus 
calls  it  ^  furtifica  laeva,'  serves  still  further  to  show  its  general 
ill-repute  and  connection  with  dishonorable  actions.  Plautus, 
Pers.  225: 

*  Pae.     Ecquid  habes  ? 
So.     Ecquid  tu? 
Pae.     E'il  equidem. 

So.     Cedo  manum  ergo. 
Pae.     Estne  haec  manus  ? 
So.     IJbi  ilia  altrast  furtifica  laeva  ? ' 


24  Right  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature, 

Ovid,  Met.  13,  110:  ^  E'ec  clipeus  vasti  caelatus  imagine 
mundi  |  conveniet  timidae  nataeque  ad  furta  sinistrae '' ; 
Martial,  12,  29,  3;  Prudentius,  Psych.  458. 

The  explanation  has  been  offered  that  the  movements  of 
the  left  hand  would  be  more  easily  concealed  at  meals  than 
those  of  the  right,  as  the  Eomans  usually  reclined  on  the  left 
side.^  This  fact  may  have  been  of  some  influence;  but  the 
origin  of  the  association  seems  to  be  due  in  large  measure  to 
the  general  characteristics  attributed  to  the  left  hand  in  popu- 
lar belief. 

A  direct  development  from  the  preceding  is  the  use  of 
^  sinistrae  '  in  the  sense  of  accomplices  in  thieving.  Catullus 
47,  1 :  ^  Porci  et  Socration,  duae  sinistrae  |  Pisonis,  scabies 
famesque  mundi.' 

The  same  explanation  may  possibly  be  applied  to  Martial, 
11,  73,  Iff.:  ^  Venturum  iuras  semper  mihi  Lygde,  roganti  | 
Constituisque  horam  constituisque  locum.  |  Cum  frustra  iacui 
longa  prurigine  tentus  |  Succurrit  pro  te  saepe  sinistra  mihi  ' ; 
cf.  also  Martial,  9,  41,  1,  and  11,  58,  11. 

In  Vergil  {Aen.  6,  570),  Tisiphone  brandishes  her  snakes 
with  her  left  hand :  ^  continuo  sontis  ultrix  accinota  flagello  | 
Tisiphone  quatit  insultans,  torvosque  sinistra  |  intentans  an- 
guis  vocat  agmina  saeva  sororum.'  So,  too,  the  Furies  are 
said  to  carry  their  torches  in  their  left  hands:  Seneca,  A  gam. 
759 :  ^  Instant  sorores  squalidae  |  sanguinea  iactant  verbera  | 
fert  laeva  semustas  faces.'  Both  of  these  passages  show  clearly 
the  general  view  with  regard  to  the  left  hand. 

It  is  but  natural,  in  view  of  its  especial  characteristics,  that 
the  left  hand  should  be  the  one  connected  with  charms  or  with 
whatever  might  be  associated  with  magic  or  sorcery  of  any 
kind.  Thus  Medea,  when  preparing  the  magic  potion  in  which 
to  dip  the  robe  which  she  sends  to  Creusa,  collects  the  ingredi- 
ents with  her  left  hand.     Seneca,  Medea,  680 :   ^  et  triste  laeva 

*  Cf .  Ellis,  Note  on  Catullus  12,  1 :  '  Marrucine  Asini,  manu  sinistra  | 
non  belle  uteris  in  ioco  atque  vino:   |  tollis  lintea  neglegentiorum.' 


Right  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature.  25 

congregans  sacrum  manu  |  pestes  vocat  .  .  .'  Similarly  tlie 
priest  when  preparing  the  charm  which  shall  cause  the  earth 
itx)  open  and  reveal  the  lower  world,  pours  a  libation  with  his 
left  hand.  Seneca,  Oed.  565:  '  libat  et  niveum  insuper  |  lactis 
liquor  em,  fundit  et  Bacchum  manu  |  laeva  canitque  rursus  ac 
terram  intuens   |  graviore  manes  voce  et  attonita  citat.' 

In  the  Greek  Magic  Papyri,  contrary  to  what  might  be 
expected,  the  use  of  the  left  hand  is  not  prescribed  as  essential 
in  the  performance  of  the  charm  described.  In  several  in- 
stances, however,  the  application  of  a  magical  compound  to 
the  left  hand  or  the  left  side  of  the  body  is  required.  Greeh 
Papyri  in  the  BHtish  Museum  1,  I^o.  121,  p.  105,  1.  665  ff . ; 
1^0.  122,  p.  118,  1.  65  ff.;  No.  125,  p.  124,  1.  Iff.;  Wessely, 
I.  c,  p.  138,  p.  468  if. ;  Cf.  Greeh  Papyri  in  the  British 
Museum,  1,  ISTo.  121,  p.  95,  1.  339  ff.  On  the  other  hand, 
the  use  of  the  right  hand  is  specifically  mentioned:  Greeh 
Papyri  in  the  British  Museum,  1,  ]^o.  121,  p.  90,  1.  186  ff.; 
p.  101,  1.  522  ff. ;  Wessely,  I,  c,  p.  45,  1.  41 ;  p.  62,  1.  698. 

The  right  side  of  the  body:  Greeh  Papyri  in  the  British 
Museum,  1,  E'o.  121,  p.  105,  1.  652  ff. ;  Parthey,  I,  c,  2,  1.  23; 
1.  39. 

In  direct  accordance  with  such  practices  is  the  important 
role  given  to  the  left  hand  and  to  the  left  in  general  by  certain 
writers  who  deal  with  medicine  and  medical  matters,  chiefly 
Pliny,  Pseudo-Pliny,  Marcellus,  and  Pelagonius.  For  exam- 
ple, to  render  certain  plants  efficacious,  one  must  pluck  them 
with  the  left  hand:  Pliny,  Nat.  Hist.  27,  36:  'Aster  ab  ali- 
quis  bubonion  appellatur,  quoniam  inguinum  praesentaneum 
remedium  est,  cauliculus  foliis  oblongis  duobus  aut  tribus,  in 
oacumine  capitula  stellae  modo  radiata  bibitur  et  adversus 
serpentis.  Sed  ad  inguinum  medicinam  sinistra  manu  de- 
cerpi  iubent  et  iuxta  cinctus  adligari  prodest  et  coxendicis 
dolori  adalligata '  ;  Marcellus,  Med.  26,  41 :  '  Artemisia 
herba  est,  quam  Gallice  bricumum  appellant;  hanc  ubi  nasca- 
tur  require  et  inventam  mane  ante  solis  ortum  sinistra  manu 
extrahes  et  ex  ea  nudos  renes  praecinges;  quo  facto  singular! 


26  Right  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature, 

et  praesentaneo  remedio  uteris  '  ;  Vegetius,  4,  3,  12 ;  Oolumella, 
6,  5,  3;  Pliny,  Nat.  Hist.  27,  117;  Pseudo-Pliny,  Med.  3,  23 
(20,  126)  ;  Marcellus,  Med.,  32,  5;  Pelagonius,  Art.  Vet.  22. 

In  the  same  manner  some  animals,  if  caught  with  the  left 
hand,  are  beneficial:  Pliny,  Nat.  Hist.  30,  26:  ^sunt  qui  et 
araneum  animal  ipsum  sinistra  manu  captum  tritumque  in 
rosaceo  et  in  aurem  infusum  cuius  a  parte  doleat  prodesse 
arbitrentur '  ;  Marcellus,  Med.  2,  4:  ^  Emicranium  statim 
curant  vermes  terreni  pari  numero  sinistra  manu  lecti  et  in 
limine  cum  terra  de  limine  eadem  manu  triti  et  cum  aceto 
Optimo  eadem  manu  fronti  vel  temporibus  inliti  cum  dolor 
urgebit'  ;  Marcellus,  Med.  8,  51-52. 

Differing  but  slightly  is  Marcellus,  Med.  33,  64:  '  Muli- 
erem,  quam  tu  habueris,  ut  numquam  alius  inire  possit,  facies 
hoc:  Lacertae  viridis  vivae  sinistra  manu  caudam  curtabis 
eamque  vivam  dimittes;  caudem,  donee  inmoriatur,  eadem 
palma  clausam  tenebis  et  mulierem  verendaque  eius  dum  cum 
ea  cois  tange.'      Cf.  ih.  33,  6. 

In  the  application  of  remedies  the  left  hand  is  sometimes 
used  to  render  them  more  effective:  Marcellus,  Med.  8,  190: 
'  Varulis,  id  est  hordiolis  oculorum,  remedium  tale  facies : 
Anulos  digitis  eximes  et  sinistrae  manus  digitis  tribus  oculum 
circum  tenebis  et  ter  despues  terque  dices:  rica,  rica,  soro. 
Si  in  dextro  oculo  varulus  erit  natus,  manu  sinistra  digitis 
tribus  sub  divo  orientem  spectans  varulum  tenebis  et  dices ' ; 
Marcellus,  Med.  28,  74:  ^  Item  ad  rosus  tam  hominum  quam 
iumentorum  praecantio  sic.  Pollice  sinistro  et  duobus  mini- 
mis digitis  ventrem  confricans  dices.' 

Sometimes,  in  fact,  the  left  hand  itself  effects  the  cure: 
Marcellus,  Med.  14,  52 :  '  Uvam  to  to  anno  non  dolebit,  qui 
cum  primum  uvam  viderit  procedentem,  sinistra  manu  digito 
medicinali  et  pollice  granum  vulsum  sic  transgluttierit  ut  den- 
tibus  non  contingat.' 

The  same  point  of  view  is  responsible  for  the  application 
of  a  remedy  to  the  left  side  of  the  body:  Pliny,  Nat.  Hist.  20, 
8,   77:    ^  (Seris)    cum  polenta  silvestrium  radices  stomachi 


Bight  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature,  27 

causa  sorbentur,  et  cardiacis  inlinuntur  super  sinistram  mam- 
mam  et  ex  aceto,  omnes  hae  et  podagricis  utiles  et  sanguinem 
reicientibus,  item  quibus  genitura  fluat,  alterno  dierum  potu ' ; 
Marcellus,  Med,  17,  42 :  ^  Ad  singultus  inhibendos  festucam, 
quam  bibens  in  calice  acceperis,  protinus  supercilio  sinistro 
imponito ;  continuo  remedium  experieris '  ;  Marcellus,  Med, 
17,  42;  44;  29,  26;  Pelagonius,  Art.  Yet,  103;  104;  186; 
214. 

So  also  a  similar  explanation  is  applicable  to  the  statement 
made  by  Aulus  Gellius,  quoting  from  Pliny,  that  tbe  left  foot 
of  a  chameleon,  when  treated  in  the  proper  fashion,  will  pro- 
duce invisibility :  Aulus  Gellius,  10,  12,  5 :  ^  Sed  redeo  ad 
Plinium.  Sinistrum  pedem  ait  chamaeleontis  ferro  ex  igui 
calefacto  torreri  cum  herba  quae  appellatur  eodem  nomine 
chamaeleontis  et  utrumque  macerari  unguento  conligique  in 
modum  pastilli  atque  in  vas  mitti  ligneum  et  eum,  qui  vas  ferat, 
etiamsi  is  in  medio  palam  versetur,  a  nuUo  videri  posse/ 

As  an  exact  opposite  to  all  these  usages  is  the  requirement 
made  by  Pliny,  when  speaking  of  the  power  to  effect  certain 
cures  resting  in  the  hand  of  a  dead  person,  that  the  left  hand 
must  be  turned  away:  Nat,  Hist.,  28,  45:  ^  Immatura  morte 
raptorum  manu  strumas,  parotidas,  guttura  tactu  sanari  ad- 
firmant,  quidam  vero  cuiuscumque  defuncti,  dumtaxat  sui 
sexus,  laeva  manu  aversa.'  The  reason  for  this  requirement 
may  rest  in  the  fact  that  the  left  hand  is  ill-omened,  and  in 
the  desire  to  remove  anything  which  may  be  unfavorable  to 
the  success  of  the  cure. 

However,  it  is  not  the  left  alone  that  we  find  used  in  con- 
nection with  remedies  such  as  the  foregoing;  but  also  the 
right  hand  and  the  right  in  general  are  quite  as  frequent. 
Their  choice  is  due  obviously  to  the  general  characteristic  of 
good  luck  attached  to  the  right. 

Simples  must  be  gathered  with  the  right  hand:  Marcellus, 
Med.  29,  43 :  '  Herbam  nepetam  dextra  manu  colliges,  in 
quantum  suffioere  posse  credideris  eamque  ad  levitatem  con- 


28  Eight  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature, 

teres  et  cum  vino  dulci  ac  vetere  vel  Libycensi  colico  ieiuno 
per  triduum  dabis.' 

The  two  middle  fingers  of  the  right  hand  when  bound 
together  keep  off  catarrh  or  inflammation  of  the  eyes.  Here 
the  tying  of  the  fingers  typifies  the  binding  of  the  disease. 
There  is  also  a  probable  connection  between  the  middle  finger 
and  the  nose:  Pliny,  Nat,  Hist,  28,  42:  ^  PoUex  in  pede 
praeligatus  proximo  digito  tumores  inguinum  sedat,  in  manu 
dextra  duo  medii  lino  leviter  conligati  distillationes  atqu© 
lippitudines  arcent '  ;  Marcellus,  Med,  10,  71 ;  Pseu.do-Pliny, 
Med.  1,  11  (28,  42). 

As  a  cure  for  sneezing  or  hiccuping,  among  other  things, 
Pliny  prescribes  the  transfer  of  the  ring  from  the  left  hand 
to  the  middle  finger  of  the  right:  Pliny,  Nat,  Hist,  28,  57: 
^  Sternumenta  pinna  gravedinem  emendant  et  si  quis  mulae 
nares,  ut  tradunt,  osculo  attingat,  sternutamenta  et  singultum. 
ad  hoc  Varro  suadet  palmam  alterna  manu  scalpere,  plerique 
anulum  e  sinistra  in  longissimum  dextrae  digitum  transferre, 
in  aquam  ferventem  manus  mergere '  ;  Marcellus,  Med,  18, 
44. 

Trimalchio  performs  the  same  act  as  a  charm  to  avert  the 
evil  omen  of  the  crowing  of  a  cock:  Petronius,  Cena  Trimal- 
chionis,  74,  1 :  ^  Haec  dicente  eo  gallus  gallinaceus  cantavit. 
qua  voce  confusus  Trimalchio  vinum  sub  mensa  iussit  effundi 
lucemamque  etiam  mero  spargi,  immo  anulum  traiecit  in 
dexteram  manum,  et  "  non  sine  causa,"  inquit  "  hie  bucinus  sig- 
num  dedit;  nam  aut  incendium  oportet  fiat,  aut  aliquis  in 
vicinia  animam  abiciet."  ' 

Blows  from  the  right  hand  of  the  Luperci  were  supposed 
to  produce  fruitfulness  in  women:  Ovid,  Fast.  2,  425  :  ^  ISTupta, 
quid  expectas  ?  non  tu  pollentibus  herbis,  |  ISTec  prece,  nee 
magico  carmine  mater  eris,  |  Excipe  fecundae  patienter  ver- 
bera  dextrae  |  lam  socer  optatum  nomen  habebit  avi.' 

The  healing  power  supposed  to  rest  in  the  right  hand  is 
shown  clearly  in  a  dream  described  by  Artemidorus  (Oniro- 
critica  5,  89)  :    eSo^e   rt?    voacav    tov   <TT6fia')(pv    koX    <rvPTayrjf; 


Bight  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature,  29 

Beofievot;  irapa  rod  ^AaKXrjTTLOV  ek  rb  lepov  rod  6eov  ela-ievaiy 
Kal  Tov  Oeov  ifcretvavTa  r^?  Sefta?  eavrov  ')(^6ipo<;  tou<?  SaKTvXov; 
irapex^LV  avro)  eadieiv.  cjioivLica'^  irevre  iadlcov  iOepairevOr)  *  Kal 
yap  at  tov  ^oCvlko^  jSaXavot  al   airovBalaL   Bd/crvXoi,   /caXovvrac. 

It  is  often  necessary  to  apply  the  remedy  to  the  right  half 
of  the  body  of  the  patient :  Marcellus,  Med.  22,  41 :  '  Lacertam 
viridem  prende  et  de  acuta  parte  cannae  iecur  ei  tolle  et  in 
phoenicio  vel  panno  naturaliter  nigro  alliga  atque  ad  dextram 
partem  lateris  ant  brachii  laboranti  epatico  suspende,  sed  vivam 
lacertam  dimitte  et  dicito  ei '  ;  Pelagonius,  Art.  Vet.  154: 
^  Item  ad  eos  qui  tardius  meiant.  porros  decoques  et  sucnm 
eornm  exprimis  ad  sextarium  et  commisces  vini  veteris  et  olei 
acetabulum  et  dabis  per  narem  dextram  et  deambulet '  ;  Mar- 
cellus,  Med.  10,  81;  22,  24;  26;  34;  Pelagonius,  Art  Vet. 
142;  278;  458;  Pseudo-Pliny,  Med.  3,  15. 

Marcellus  (Med.  33,  8)  gives  the  composition  of  a  plaster 
which  the  user  is  to  apply  to  the  great  toe  of  the  right  foot 
as  an  aphrodisiac.  When  he  desires  to  cease,  it  must  be 
transferred  to  the  same  position  on  the  left  foot :  ^  Ut  in 
venerem,  cum  volueris,  sis  paratus,  remedium  tale  facies  .  .  . 
Haec  omnia  separatim  trita  simul  miscebis  et  iterum  simul 
teres ;  inde  emplastrum  facies  vel  pittacium  et  pones  in  dextri 
pedis  pollice,  cum  uti  volueris  venere,  et  cum  cessare  volueris, 
ad  sinistri  pedis  pollicem  transferes  '  ;  cf.  Parthey,  I.  c.  1,  1, 
334  if. 

An  instance  of  the  use  of  a  part  of  an  animal  taken  from 
its  right  side  is  Marcellus,  Med.  33,  6 :  ^  Venerem  concitant 
passeres  in  cibo  sumpti  vel  ova  eorum,  item  gallinaceus  testis 
dexter  in  arietina  pelle  collo  subligatus  mire  prodest.' 

In  Pliny  (Nat.  Hist.  24,  19,  172)  the  patient  to  whom  a 
certain  ointment  is  applied  is  required  to  spit  to  his  right 
three  times.  Pliny  adds  that  the  remedy  is  said  to  be  more 
efficacious  if  three  men  of  three  nationalities  anoint  themselves 
towards  the  right  (^  dextrorsus  ')  :  ^  iuxta  hanc  viduam  vite 
nascitur  herba  quam  Galli  rodarum  vocant  .  .  .  qui  perunctus 
est  despuit  ad  suam  dextram  tema.     efficacius  remedium  esse 


30  Bight  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature. 

aiunt,  si  tres  quoque  trmm  nationum  homines  perunguant 
dextrorsus.' 

Still  another  requirement  made  bj  Marcellus  is  that  the 
patient  shall  receive  the  medicine  from  his  right  and  hand 
back  the  cup  to  his  left.  In  this  manner  the  medicine  comes 
from  a  favorable  direction:  Marcellus,  Med.  25,  11:  ^  Sed  qui 
aocipiet  stans  accipiat  et  contra  orientem  bibat  et  cum  a  dextra 
parte  potionem  acceperit,  ad  sinistram  retro  ut  non  respiciat 
reddat  calicem  ei,  qui  dederit  potionem;  hoc  per  triduum 
faciet.' 

Sometimes  the  remedy  must  be  applied  to  the  same  side  of 
the  body  as  that  which  is  diseased;  sometimes  to  the  opposite 
side:  Marcellus,  Med.  24,  23:  ^  Observandum  autem  erit,  ut 
si  in  latere  sinistro  dolor  fuerit,  in  manu  sinistra  habeatur 
anulus,  aut  in  dextra,  si  dextrum  latus  dolebit '  ;  Marcellus, 
Med.  8,  142;  29,  26;  Marcellus,  Med.  12,  48:  ^  Si  tibi 
partis  sinistrae  dens  dolebit,  cubito  dextro  calidam  fabam 
coctam  tritam  impone  et  diligenter  liga.  Si  vero  partis  dex- 
terae  sive  superior  sive  inferior  dens  dolebit,  cubito  sinistro 
ligato  similiter  fabam  et  hoc  per  triduum  facito '  ;  Marcellus, 
Med.  9,  111;  Pseudo-Pliny,  Med.  1,  6   (28,  60). 

Finally  both  hands  are  applied  to  both  sides  of  the  body: 
Marcellus,  Med.  18,  4:  '  Ad  cervicum  dolores  remedium  physi- 
cum  sic:  leiunus  dextram  manum  saliva  tange  et  dextrum 
poplitem  perfrica,  deinde  sinistra  manu  sinistrum  et  hoc  ter 
per  singulos  poplites  facito ;  statim  remediabis  '  *  Marcellus, 
Med.  12,  46. 

Returning  to  the  association  between  the  left  and  charms 
of  any  kind,  there  are  several  statements  in  the  Geoponica 
of  Cassianus  Bassus  which  show  its  full  development.  Thus 
the  left  hoof  of  a  black  ass  is  a  charm  to  ward  off  enchantment's : 
Geoponica^  15,  8,  1. 

Similarly  the  left  horn  of  a  bull  when  burnt  drives  off 
mildew  from  the  fields:  Geoponica,  5,  33,  1. 

When  attacked  by  a  hyena  it  is  necessary  to  advance  on  his 
left  side,  as  otherwise  it  will  be  impossible  to  kill  him:  Geo- 
ponica, 15,  1,  12. 


Right  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature,  31 

Due  probably  to  the  same  general  idea  is  the  statement 
that  a  snake  can  be  pulled  out  of  a  hole  only  with  the  left 
hand:  Geoponica,  IS,  S,  6;  cf.  Pliny,  Nat,  Hist.  28,  3,  33: 
^  Minus  miretur  hoc  qui  sciat  vestem  a  tineis  non  attingi 
quae  fuerit  in  funere,  serpentis  aegre  praeterquam  laeva  manu 
extrahi.' 

Suetonius  states  that  E"ero  possessed  as  a  charm  the  skin 
of  a  snake,  which  had  been  found  on  his  couch,  enclosed  in 
a  golden  bracelet.  This  he  wore  on  his  right  arm.  The  con- 
nection with  what  has  been  already  seen  in  regard  to  certain 
remedies  is  plain:  Suetonius,  Nero,,  6,  23. 


ASSOCIATION^  OF  THE  RIGHT  WITH  THE  MALE, 
OF  THE  LEFT  WITH  THE  FEMALE 


In  Dreams. 

Artemidorus  in  his  Onirocritica  explains  the  significance  of 
the  appearance  of  the  right  and  the  left  in  dreams.  In  general 
the  right  is  connected  with  the  male,  the  left  with  the  female. 
Thus  in  the  case  of  the  right  and  left  hands:  Onirocritica, 
1,  2  :  .  .  .  Beha  '^elp  eU  irarepa  vlov  (f>i\ov  aSe\(j)6v,  apco-repa 
Xelp    et9    yvvac/ca    fcal     fiTjrepa    koI    ^iXr^v    koL    Svyarepa    teal 

Artemidorus  himself  gives  the  explanation  for  this  inter- 
pretation, which  is  in  direct  line  with  characteristics  of  the 
right  and  left  hands  already  discussed.^  lb.  1,  42:  arj/xatpecv 
fyap  e(f)7j  rrjv  fxev  Be^cav  X^^P^  ^^  TropL^ofxeva  rrjv  8e  eucovv/jLov  ra 
TreTTopia-pbeva  •  r]  fiev  yap  ttjOo?  to  \a8elv  erot^Lto?,  97  he  eTnTTj- 
3et09  Trpo?  TO  ^vkd^at.  eaTi  he  TraXaia  hiaipeo-i^  /cal  a\ri6r)<^ 
Kol  7]he.  (TTj/jLaLveL  97  fjuev  he^ta  ;^el/)  vlov  TraTepa  <^i\ov  koI  ov 
ev  TTj  avvrjOela  KaTaxpoaP'^.voL  XejojuLev  otc  r/  he^ia  x^^P  ^'^'^^ 
Tov  helvo^  '     7]  he  €V(ovv/jlo<;    yvvat/ca    pLrjTepa    ahe\(f>rjv    6vyaTepa 

^Cf.   p.   9ff. 


32  Right  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature, 

Sov\r]v.      oTTorejpa?    ovv    dv    tl^    ^o^JJ    ci(f)rjpria6aLy     (TTep7]6rjaeTaC 

TLVO^    T03V    vtt'    aVTYj^    aTJfMaLVO/iieVCOV. 

Interesting  as  being  in  exact  accord  with  this  explanation 
is  a  dream  recorded  by  Artemidonis,  in  which  a  sick  man 
beheld  Cerbems  shaking  his  right  paw  at  him  as  a  sign  that 
he  was  ready  to  receive  him  into  Hades.  In  this  same  passage 
there  occurs  the  use  of  the  right  hand  as  a  favorable  sign  and 
of  the  left  as  the  reverse :  Onirocritica,  5,  92 :  Nocrwz^  tl^  v^S- 
aro  T(p  ^apaTTLSi,  el  fieXXet  acodrja-eadai,  ttjv  Be^cav  avrw  xelpa 
ovap  €7nael(TaLy  el  Se  fJirj,  rrjv  aptarepdv.  /cal  8r)  eSo^ev  elaLOVTt 
avT(p  TO  lepov  tov  l^apaTrcBo^  rov  K.ep^epov  ttjv  X^^P^  '^V^ 
Be^tdv  eTTicreieLV  avrat.  rrj  iinova-ri  aireOavev  eLKora)^  •  dpdeiar)<; 
yap  tt}?  Sefta?  eroiixo^  rjv  irapahe^acrOaL  avrov  6  KepySe/oo?,  oairep 
o\e6po<i  elvai  vevojjacrTaL. 

This  same  significance  belongs  to  other  parts  of  the  body 
also  when  they  occur  in  dreams,  as  well  as  to  the  hand.  Thus 
the  eyes:  Omrocr^^^ca^  1,  26:  o  fxev  8efto?  o^6aXfxd<^  cnfjfxaCvei 
vlov  Kol  dhe\(^6v  /cal  irarepa.  6  he  dptaTepo<;  Ovyarepa  Kal 
d8e\(f)rjv  /cal  fiyrepa  •  8vo  he  vlodv  bvrcov  tj  Ovyarepcov  hvo  rj 
Bvo  dSe\<j)o!)v  6  fiev  Sefto?  tov  Trpea^vTepov  vlov  t)  dBeX(f>ov  rj 
OvyaTepa  Tr)v  TrpeafivTepav,  6  he  evd)vvjio<^  OvyaTepa  ttjv  ve(o~ 
Tepav  Kal  dhe\(f)ov  /cal  vlov  tov^  ve(OT€pov<^. 

Here  also  the  second  contingency  emphasizes  the  superiority 
of  the  right  over  the  left  as  representing  those  persons  by 
nature  stronger  or  more  important:  cf.  Onirocritica,  5,  37; 
Onirocritica,  1,  31  (the  teeth) ;  Onirocritica,  1,  21  (the 
head). 

With  regard  to  the  walls  of  a  house,  the  right  is  interpreted 
as  meaning  the  children  and  the  left  as  meaning  the  wife, 
while  the  middle  one  stands  for  the  master  of  the  house: 
Onirocritica,,  2,  10 :  tolx<ov  he  6  /nrjv  ttjv  Ovpav  e^f^v  tov  heairoTrjv 
arffiaLveL,  6  he  ttjv  Bvplha  ttjv  hecnroLvav.  oirov  he  /jlt)  €(ttc 
6vpl<fj  6  fJLev  /JL€(T0(;  TOV  heairoTT^v  6  he  he^io^;  to,  Te/cva  6  he 
€vd>vvfio^    TTJV  yvvacKa. 

Closely  related  to  the  foregoing  is  the  method  of  foretelling 
future  events  by  means  of  the  involuntary  movement  of  various 


Bight  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature.  33 

parts  of  the  body.  A  reference  to  this  occurs  in  Plautus, 
Pseudol.  106:  '  Atque  id  fnturum  unde  nnde  dicam  nescio  | 
nisi  quia  f uturum  est :  ita  supercilium  salit ' ;  cf .  Theocritus^ 
3,  37  ff. :  aXkeTat  6(^Ba\fjb6^  /jlov  6  ^efto?  •  dpd  y '  IBrjo-co  | 
avrdv. 

In  the  complete  elaborations  ^  of  this  system,  however,  the 
regular  distinctions  between  the  right  and  the  left  as  lucky 
and  unlucky,  or  as  referring,  one  to  the  male,  the  other  to 
the  female,  do  not  seem  to  hold  good.  Thus,  while  the  move- 
ment of  members  on  the  right  side  of  the  body  generally  fore- 
tells the  occurrence  of  some  favorable  event,  the  same  is  true 
also  of  members  on  the  left  side. 
Bight : 

Melampus,  I,  c.   (6)  224,  5;  (13)  224,  23;  (49)  227,  10; 
(72)  229,  1;  Eylands,  I,  c.  1.  14;  97,  etc. 
Left: 

Melampus,  I.  c.  (14)  224,  25;  (16)  225,  1;  (75)  229,  6; 
(88)  230,  6,  etc. 

So,  also,  the  movement  of  members  both  on  the  left  and 
right  sides  denotes  misfortune: 
Left: 

Melampus,  Z.  c.  (7)  224,  7;   (11)  224,  19;  (44)  227,  2; 
Eylands,  L  c.  1.  19 ;  113 ;  etc. 
Bight : 

Melampus,  L  c.  (15)  224,  27;  (74)  229,  7;  (78)  229,  14; 
Eylands,  I.  c.  1.  135,  168;  etc. 

The   distinction  made  by   Artemidorus  between   the   right 
as  referring  to  males,  the  left  to  females,  is  rare. 
Bight: 

Eylands,  I,  c.  1.  135. 
Left: 

Eylands,  L  c,  1.  93;  102;  156;  201;  228. 

*  Cf.  Melampus,   Ilepi   HaX/icDj'  Mavrt/ciJ,    Diels,   I.   c;  '  Catalogue  of  the 
Greek  Papyri  in  the  John  Rylands  Library,'  I.  c. 


34:  Bight  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature, 

In  the  Determination  of  Sex. 

Ciloselj  associated  with  dreams  of  the  nature  just  discussed, 
on  account  of  the  significance  attributed  to  right  and  left  in 
both,  are  the  ideas  which  were  held  with  regard  to  the  deter- 
mination of  the  sex  of  an  embryo.  Varro  gives  the  following 
directions  for  telling  the  sex  of  a  calf  yet  unborn  from  the 
actions  of  the  bull:  De  Be  Bustica  2,  6,  13:  ^  tum  denique 
tauros  in  gregem  redigo.  mas  an  femina  sit  concepta,  significat 
descensu  taurus,  cum  init[si],  quod,  si  mas  est,  in  dexteriorem 
partem  abit ;  si  femina  in  sinisteriorem.'  The  same  statement 
is  repeated  by  Columella,  De  Be  Bustica,  6,  24,  3 ;  and  by 
Pliny,  Nat.  Hist.  8,  45,  176.  Similarly  Geoponica,  17,  6, 
where  are  added  directions  for  producing  the  sex  desired: 
Ot  irpoyivayo-Keiv  OeXovre^,  irorepou  appev  rj  OtjXv  re^erac  rj 
^L^ao-delcra  /Sot)?,  TraparrjpeLTCoaav  •  iav  fiev  el<;  ra  Se^ca  fiepr) 
6  /Soi)?  KareXSyj  appev  to  T€')(^6r)a6iJ,evov  reKiJuaipeaOco  •  av  Be 
€7rl  ra  apia-repd,  OrjXv.  el  Se  /cal  /SovXrjdeLrj^  appev  Te)(^Orjvai,f 
T(p  Kaipat  Trj<;  o')(eia^  rbv  aptarepov  6p')(^LV  anroBrjaov  *  el  Si 
OrjXvy  Tov  Be^tov;  cf.  ib.,   18,  3,   7. 

The  essential  idea  in  all  these,  and  the  one  which  calls  for 
our  attention,  is  the  connection  between  the  right  side  and 
the  male,  the  left  and  the  female.  We  have  already  seen  it 
occurring  in  the  explanations  given  by  Artemidorus  of  the 
meaning  of  certain  dreams.  The  association  in  all  cases  must 
be  attributed  to  exactly  identical  causes,  going  back  to  the 
general  attributes  of  the  right  and  the  left  which  we  have 
already  eonsidered. 

In  explanation  of  Columella,  de  Re  Bustica,  6,  24,  3,  Schnei- 
der ^  writes:  '  Orta  est  opinio  ex  alia  aeque  falsa,  dextrum 
testiculum  et  ovarium  feminarum  a  natura  foetibus  masculis, 
sinistra  femineis  destinata  fuisse.'"  Of  the  truth  of  this  state- 
ment we  have  numerous  proofs.^     Thus  with  regard  to   the 

*  Scriptores  Rei  Rusticae,  2,  p.  339. 
2  Ploss,  I.  c,  1,  p.  373. 


Eight  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature,  35 

parts  of  the  uterus  of  the  mother,  Galen  {In  Epid,  6,  48  [lY, 
A,  1002  K] )  quotes  a  line  from  Parmenides :  ^  to  /levToc 
appev  iv  rcot  Se^ccji,  jxepet  t-Q?  /jLiJTpa^;  KviaKeaOai  koX  oXXol 
TOiv  TraXaiordrcov  avSpcov  elprjicaaiv.  6  fiiv  <yap  HapfJievcBrj^: 
ovTco^i  €(f>7j '  Se^CTepolcnv  jxev  Kovpov^y  XaLolat  Si  Kovpa^, 
Further  Aetius  (5,  7,  4  [D  420]  ^  adds  that  the  semen  from 
the  right  side  of  the  male  enters  the  right  side  of  the  uterus, 
and  that  from  the  left  enters  the  left  side.  If,  however,  the 
semen  from  the  two  sides  become  interchanged  in  their  descent, 
the  resulting  offspring  will  be  female :  ^Ava^ayopa^;  Uap/jLevLSrj^ 
TO,  fiev  etc  TOiv  Se^LCJv  (so.  aTrep/nara)  fcara^dWeaOac  ek  ra 
Se^ta  fJLeprj  Trj^i  iJbr}Tpa<^  ra  etc  tmv  apLO-repMv  €t9  ra  apccTTepd, 
el  8'   ivaWayeiT)  tcl  t^?  /caTa^oXrj'^j   ^ivecrOaL  drfkea. 

This  would  seem  to  show  that  the  sex  of  the  child  was  con- 
sidered as  not  dependent  solely  upon  the  mother.  In  fact, 
Aristotle  {Be  Animal,  Gen,  4,  1,  763  b)  states  a  theory  that 
it  depended  also  upon  the  side  of  the  father  from  which  the 
semen  came;  that  from  the  right  side  producing  a  male,  that 
from  the  left  a  female :  irorepov  he  kov  irplv  S'1]\tjv  ttjv  hiac^o- 
pav  elvai  7rpo<;  ttjv  alaOrjaLV  rjfioov  to  jxev  drjXv  to  8'  dppev  eaTiv 
iv  Trj  fi7]Tpl  XaffovTa  Tr)V  SLa(f)Opav  t]  irpoTepov,  afM<f>ta^7]TelTai. 
(fyao-l  yap  ol  jxiv  iv  rot?  airepiiacnv  elvai  TavTrjv  ttjv  ivavTicoacv 
ivdxy^  olov  * Ava^ayopa'i  Kal  eTepoi  tcov  (j)V(TLoX6yoov '  ycveaOaL 
T€  yap  iic  Tov  dppevo<;  to  airepfia,  to  Be  OrfXv  irape')(eLV  tov 
tottov,  ical  elvai  to  fxev  dppev  iic  tcov  Se^ccov  to  Be  drjXv  eK  tcov 
dpcaTepcov,  Kal  rtj?  vo-Tepa^  to,  /jLev  dppeva  iv  roZ?  Seftot?  elvat. 
TCL  Be  drjXea  iv  Tok  dpiaTepol<^ ;  Censorinus,  De  Die  Natali,  6, 
6 :  ^  ex  dextris  partibus  profuse  semine  mares  gigni  at  e  laevis 
f eminas  Anaxagoras  Empedoclesque  consentiunt ' ;  Censorinus, 
1.  c,  5,  2;  Aristotle,  De  Gen.  Animal,  4z,  765. 

So,  too,  with  respect  to  which  of  the  parents  the  child  should 
resemble,  the  side  from  which  came  the  semen  and  the  side 
of  the  uterus  played  an  important  part:  Censorinus,  De  Die 

^Diels,   Frag.    d.    Vorsokr.,   p.    128,    fr.    17. 
*Cf.  Diels,  I.  c,  p.  116,  §  53. 


36  Right  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature, 

Natali,  6,  8 :  ^  '  ceteruin  Parnienidis  sententia  est  cum  dex- 
terae  partes  semina  dederint,  tunc  filios  esse  patri  consimiles, 
cum  laevae,  tunc  matri ' ;  Aetius,  5,  11,  2  [D  422]  :  Uap/nevi- 
Brj<;  orav  fiiv  airo  rod  Se^cov  fJL€pov<;  t?}?  fi7]Tpa<;  6  70V09  airoiC' 
piOrjij  Tol^  irarpdaLVj  orav  he  airo  tov  apiarepov^  rat?  /jLrjTpdcnv 
(so.   o/jLOta  rd  re/cva  yiveaOai). 

From  Lactantius  we  obtain  still  another  idea,  which  differs 
slightly  in  detail  from  those  already  given,  but  which  rests 
upon  the  same  fundamental  principle.  In  the  preceding  state- 
ments the  semen  from  the  right  side  of  the  male  was  considered 
as  entering  the  right  side  of  the  uterus  in  order  to  produce  a 
boy  and  the  same  with  the  left  for  a  girl.  Lactantius,  however, 
states  that  if  the  male  semen,  th^t  is  from  the  right  side, 
enters  the  left  side  of  the  uterus  a  male  will  still  result,  but 
he  will  have  certain  feminine  characteristics.  Similarly  feiDale 
semen,  that  is  from  the  left  side,  falling  on  the  male  side  of 
the  uterus,  will  produce  a  female,  but  with  masculine  charac- 
teristics: Lactantius,  De  Opificio  12,  12:^  ^  dispares  quoque 
naturae  hoc  modo  fieri  putantur:  cum  forte  in  laevam  uteri 
partem  masculinae  stirpis  semen  inciderit,  marem  quidem 
gigui  opinatio  est,  sed  quia  sit  in  femina  parte  conceptus  ali- 
quid  in  se  habere  femineum  supra  quam  decus  virile  patiatur, 
vel  formam  insignem  vel  nimium  candorem  vel  corporis  levi- 
tatem  vel  artus  delicatos,  vel  staturam  brevem  vel  vocem  gra- 
cilem  vel  animum  imbecillum  vel  ex  his  plura.  item  si  partem 
in  dexteram  semen  feminini  generis  iniluxerit,  f eminam  quidem 
procreari,  sed  quoniam  in  masculina  parte  concepta  sit,  habere 
in  se  aliquid  virilitatis  ultra  quam  sexus  ratio  permittat,  aut 
valida  membra  aut  immoderatum  longitudinem  aut  fuscum 
colorem  aut  hispidam  faciem  aut  vultum  indecorem  aut  vocem 
robustam  aut  animum  audacem  aut  ex  his  plura.' 

Aristotle  (De  Animal  Gen,  4,  Y65)  opposes  all  these  views, 
and  declares  that  they  have  been  proved  false  by  actual  obser- 

*Cf.  Diels,  I.  c,  p.  116,  §  54. 
»  Diels,  I.  c,  p.  116,  §  54. 


EigM  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature,  37 

vation  and  experiment.  He  states,  however,  that  a  possible 
cause  for  a  child  being  a  male  or  female  is  the  difference  in 
the  amount  of  heat  and  cold  involved.  This,  he  adds,  might 
account  for  the  theory  of  the  right  and  left,  as  the  right  side 
of  the  body  is  naturally  warmer  than  the  left,  and  therefore 
the  semen  from  that  side  would  be  warmer  and  hence  more 
liable  to  produce  a  male:  (765  b.)  rd  fxiv  ovv  Oep/JLorrjra  koX 
'\lrv')(poT7)Ta  alriav  oXecrOai  tov  dppevo<;  koI  tov  OrjXeo^  fcal  to 
TTjv  ctTTOKpLaiv  UTTO  T(ov  Se^LCJv  yivecrOai  t]  toov  apicrrepcoVj  ej^et 
TLva  Xoyov.  depfiorepa  yap  ra  he^ta  rod  or(o/jLaTO<;  rcov  apia-r- 
epcjVy  Kol  TO  airepfia  to  Treire fifjuevov  depfioTepov,  tolovtov  5e  to 
(tvv€(tt6<;,  fyovc/Jioi)T€pov  Se  to  avve(TT0<^    fxaXkov} 

EIGHT  SIDE  AS  THE  POSITION  OF  HONOE 


The  right  side  is  the  position  of  honor :  Suetonius,  Tiberius, 
6,  20 :  ^  Dehinc  pubescens  Actiaco  triumpho  currum  Augusti 
comitatus  est,  sinisteriore  funali  equo  cum  Marcellus  Octaviae 
filius  dexteriore  veheretur '  ;  Sallust,  Jug,  11,  3 ;  Suetonius, 
Nero,  13,  12;  Euripides,  Orestes,  474:  dyeTe  fie-  tt/oo?  yap  8e 
Se^cdv  avTOv  OeXco    |    crra?   daTrdoraadaL,   ')(^p6vio^    elacSoDv  (f>L\ov, 

Erom  a  statement  of  Xenophon,  however,  we  would  have  to 
conclude  that  among  the  Persians  the  usual  practice  was  re- 
versed, and  that  the  left  side  took  precedence  over  the  right: 
(Cyrop.  8,  4,  3)  ft>9  5'  rjXOov  ol  KXrjOevTe^  iirl  to  SetTrvov,  ov^ 
OTTOV  ervxev  e/cacTTOV  iKdOc^ev,  aW  6v  fiev  fidXtaTa  iTLfia,  irapd, 
Trjv  dpuaTepdv  %eipa,  ft)?  eueTrifiovkevTOTepa^;  TavTr)<;  ov<n}<^y  ^ 
tt)?  he^id^j  TOV  Se  SevTcpov  irapd  tyjv  Se^idvj  tov  8e  TpLTOV 
irdXiv    irapd    ttjv    dpiaTepdv,   tov  Be  TCTapTov    irapd  ttjv  Se^tdv. 

According  to  Fryklund,^  ^^  Le  cote  do  la  main  droite  est  le 
cote  de  la  main  adroite,  forte,  veritable,  le  cote  de  la  main 
qui  promet,  etc.  et  par  la  le  cote  d'honneur  et  de  preference. 
L'origine  est  peut-etre  religieuse  cf.  Schrader  {Reallexihon  der 

*  Cf.  Diels,  I.  c,  p.  175,  §  81. 
»  I.  c,  p.  56. 


38  Right  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature. 

indogermanischen  Altertumskunde) ,  p.  309:  *  Fiir  den  Siiden 
wie  fiir  den  I^orden  Europas  wird  von  den  Alten  die  Sitte 
bezeugt,  sich  bei  dem  Oebet  zu  den  Gottern  nach  der  rechten 
Seite  zu  werden.  In  merkwiirdiger  iibereinstimmung  hat 
sich  hieraus  bei  Indern  und  Kelten  die  Gewohnheit  entwickelt 
einer  zu  ebrenden  Personlicbkeit  die  rechte  Seite  zuzuwen- 
den.' ''  The  custom,  however,  which  made  the  right  side  the 
position  of  honor,  probably  had  its  origin  merely  in  the  general 
precedence,  due  to  its  associations,  of  the  right.  Instead  of 
being  the  cause,  it  is  more  likely  that  the  religious  practice 
was  a  secondary  outgrowth  of  this  very  usage. 

An  instance  of  the  practice  of  turning  towards  the  right 
when  praying  to  or  addressing  the  gods  is  found  in  Plautus, 
Cure.  70 :  ^  si  deos  salutas,  dextrovorsum  censeo '  ;  cf .  Pliny, 
Nat.  Hist.  28,  25;  also  Plutarch,  Caynillus,  131  F:  ravr'  elirobv, 
KaOdirep  earl  *Pa)/iatot9  eOo<;  iirev^afiepoL'^  Kal  irpoaKwrjaaaiv 
iirl  Se^ca  e^eXiTTeiv,  ia(j)ci\rj  TrepLo-rpe^ofjLevo^i  ;  Plutarch,  Plato, 
203  B.^ 

Here  might  be  mentioned  the  habit  of  placing  the  right 
hand  on  the  mouth  at  the  completion  of  a  prayer.  This  must 
have  indicated  reverence:  Pliny,  Nat.  Hist.  28,  25:  ^  In  ado- 
rando  dextram  ad  osculum  referimus  totumque  corpus  cir- 
cumagimus,  quod  in  laevom  fecisse  Galliae  religiosius  credunt,' 
Quite  similar  is  Apuleius,  Met.  4,  28,  300 :  '  multi  denique 
civium  et  advenae  copiosi,  quos  eximii  spectaculi  rumor  stu- 
diosa  celebritate  congregabat,  inaccessae  formonsitatis  admira- 
tione  stupidi  et  admoventes  oribus  suis  dexteram  pri<m>ore 
digito  in  erectum  pollicem  residente  <ea>m  ut  ipsam  prorsus 
deam  Venerem  religiosis  <venerabantur>  adorationibus  ^  ;  cf. 
Ovid,  Her.  Y,  130. 

The  right  hand  was  used  in  offering  libations  to  the  gods: 
Yergil,  Aen.  8,  273:  Square  agite,  o  iuvenes,  tantarum  in 
munere    laudum  |  cingite    fronde    comas    et    pocula    porgite 

*Cf.  K.  O.  Miiller,  Die  Etrusher,  2,  p.  144;  Valeton,  De  Mod.  Auspio. 
Bom.,  pp.  297  and  314. 


Right  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature.  39 

dextris,  |  communemque  vocate  deum  et  date  vina  volentes  ' ; 
Vergil,  Aen.  8,  278;  Ovid,  Met,  14,  276. 

Significant  are  the  lines  from  Septimius  Serenus  6,^  where 
when  the  offering  is  made  to  the  gods  of  the  lower  world,  the 
left  hand  is  used :  '  inf eris  manu  sinistra  |  immolamus 
pocula.' 

iirtSe^ca  AND  irrrapiaTepa  as  Okdees  of  Proceduke 

In  Athenaeus  we  find  the  expression  iTrtSe^ca  iriveiv.  Thus 
10,  464:^  7r/309  0^9  XeKreov  ore  Tpoiroi  elal  iroaecov  Kara  iroXei^ 
tSiOLj  0)9  K.pLTLa<;  'jTapC(TT7)(7LV  iv  rrj  AafceSaifJLOvicov  UoXcreLa 
Sea  TovTcov '  6  fxev  Xto9  koX  Sdaio^  eic  fieydXcov  kvXCkcov 
eTTthe^ia  *  o  8*  A.TTiKO^,  eK  fiiKpSiv  iinBe^ia  •  0  Se  0eTTaX£/co9, 
eKTrcofiara  TrpoirCvet  otw  av  ^ovXcovrac  fieydXa  Aa/ceSacfjLovLoi,  Se 
TTjv  irap^  avT^  €Ka<TTo<^  irivei,  6  Se  7rat9  o  olvo')(oo^,  oaov  av 
airoTTirj.  rov  8'  iTTiSe^ia  iriveiv  /jivrj/jLovevec  koI  ^ Kva^avhpihri<i 
iv  ^AypoLfcoL';,  ovr(o^  A.  rCva  Brj  irapeaKevaafjLevoc  ttlvccv  rpoTTOV  | 
iare  vvvl;  Xe^ere.  B.  rcva  rpoirov  irlveiv  |  rjixel'^  ;  tolovtov  olov 
av  Kal  crol  80/cfj.  |  A.  ^ovKeaOe  Byirov  rov  iinhe^La  TrciTep,  | 
Xeyetv  iirl  tm  ttlvovtc  ;  B.  rov  eTriSe^ia  Xeyetv ;  "AwoXkoVj 
wairepel  TeOvrj/cort ;  cf.  Athenaeus,   13,   600  e. 

For  an  explanation  of  the  nature  of  this  manner  of  drink- 
ing, it  would  be  well  to  compare  two  other  passages:  Homer, 
Odyss.  21,  141 :  opwaO'  e^eiTj^  iirtSe^ia  7rdvT€<;  iralpoL,  |  ap^d- 
fievoc  rod  ')(^copov  oOev  re  irep  olvoxoevei :  Plato,  Symposium^ 
223  :  i^eyp6fju6vo<;  8e  ihelv  rois  p^ev  aXXoi'9  KaOevhovra^  Kal 
Oi')^op,evov^,  ' AydOcova  8e  fcal  ^ ApLaT0(j>dv7]  Kal  ^coKparr)  ert 
pLOvov^  eypr)<yopevai,  Kal  iriveiV  eK  (fadXr)^  pueydXr]^  iirl  he^id. 

By  comparing  these  two  passages  with  those  from  Athenaeus 
just  quoted,  we  see  that  the  method  represented  by  iwiBe^ca 
irCveiv  was  probably  one  in  which  the  banqueters  drank  in 
turn,  starting  from  the  man  occupying  the  chief  position  at 
the  table,  then  passing  to  the  person  on  his  right,  then  to  the 

^  Baehrens,  Poet.  Lat.  Min.  6,  p.  385. 
'Ed.  Schweighauser,  4,  p.  200. 


40  Right  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature. 

one  on  the  right  of  the  latter,  and  so  on.^  In  the  Symposium 
(L  c.)  there  was  but  one  vessel,  which  was  evidently  passed 
between  the  three  men.  It  is  not  necessary,  however,  to  sup- 
pose that  this  was  always  the  case,  although  the  custom  might 
well  have  originated  in  some  such  practice  of  passing  a  single 
drinking  cup  around  the  whole  company.  The  reason  for  its 
being  passed  from  left  to  right  is  evidently  because  thus  the 
guests  would  drink  in  the  order  of  precedence,  as  we  have 
already  seen  that  the  right  hand  side  was  the  most  honored. 
Thus  drinking  einhe^La  may  have  been  especially  suited  to 
solemn  occasions  and  have  been  used  chiefly  when  it  was 
desired  to  impart  a  spirit  of  solemnity.  Plato  in  the  Sympo- 
sium {I,  c.)  would  then  have  intended  to  impart  a  ludicrous 
effect.2 

Homer  (Iliad,  1,  597)  proves  that  this  same  order  was  fol- 
lowed in  filling  the  cups:  avrap  6  roh  aWoLcn  0eol<;  ivBe^ia 
iracnv  I  olvo')(^6ei,   yXvKV  veKrap  anro  KpTjrrjpo^  acfivo-acov. 

With  such  an  origin  the  einhe^La  became  a  regular  order 
of  procedure  in  other  matters  besides  drinking:  Homer,  Iliad, 
7,  183  :  /crjpv^  Be  ^epcov  (/cXrjpov)  av'  opuXov  diravry  |  Sel^^ 
ivSe^La  iracTLV  apLcrrr^eacnv  * A^xaiSiv ',  Plato,  Symposium,  177  D: 
hoKel  yap  fxot  ')(^privai  eKacTTOV  7]fX(f)v  \6yov  elirelv  eiraivov 
*'Fip(OTO(;  eirl  he^ici  m  av  SvvrjTac  koXXlo-tov  .  .  .  ;  ib.  214  B 
and  C;  222  E. 

As  iirtSe^ta  stood  for  the  correct  way  of  doing  anything, 
so  iirapio-Tepa  came  to  have  the  opposite  meaning  of  doing  a 
thing  in  the  wrong  way:  Aristophanes,  Birds,  1567:  ovto^,  tC 
Spa<; ;  e7r'  apiarey  ovTQ)<i  a/XTreJj^et ;  |  ov  fiera^aXel^  dolfjLaTiov 
S)8'  iirl  Se^id;^  Cf.  Herodotus,  2,  36. 

Interesting  in  this  connection,  as  showing  the  general  idea 
of  ill-omen  attached  to  anything  which  departed  from  the 
regular  and  usual,  is  the  practice  which  was  frequently  fol- 

^  Cf .  Schweighauser,  Athenaeus,  Vol.  11,  p.  29;  note  on  10,  464. 
"  Jevons,   '  Indo-European  Modes   of  Orientation,'   Classical  Review,   10 
(1896),  p.  23  holds  a  diflFerent  view. 
•  Cf.  Blaydes,  note  on  this  passage. 


Bight  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature,  41 

lowed  of  writing  the  tablets  used  in  the  execution  of  defixiones 
iirapLaTepa  :  ^  Wuensch,  Defixionum  Tahellae  Atticae,  N'os.  10b; 
20-22;  24-32;  35-37;  40-44;  46;  57;  58;  66-68;  84;  96;  97; 
109;  138;  139;  160;  169;  174;  175;  178;  179;  181;  cf. 
Parthey,  I.  c,  1,  1.  248  ff. 

In  the  celebration  of  the  marriage  rites  fire  and  water  were 
carried  around  ^  dextrum  in  orbem '  :  Valerius  Flaccus,  Arg, 
8,  245 :  ^  ignem  Pollux  undamque  iugalem  \  praetulit,  et 
dextrum  paterae  verguntur  in  orbem.' 

In  marching  around  a  tomb,  however,  exactly  the  opposite 
course  was  followed.  This  was  due  to  the  association  of  the 
tomb  with  the  Di  Inferi:  Statins,  Theh,  6,  200:  ^  lustrantque 
ex  more,  sinistro  |  Urbe  rogum.'  In  order  to  remove  the 
feeling  of  ill-omen  naturally  arising  from  this  act,  the  proces- 
sion was  made  to  return  dextri  gyro:  Statins,  Theh.  6,  221. 
'  hie  luctus  abolere,  novique  |  Puneris  auspicium,  vates 
(quamquam  omnia  sentit  |  Vera)  iubet;  dextri  gyro  et  vibran — 
tibus  hastis  |  Hac  redeunt.'  The  connection  between  these 
acts  and  the  practices  which  have  been  just  discussed  is  plain. 

So  also  the  ceremony  of  dextratio  was  observed  by  the 
Fratres  Arvales  when  collecting  the  offering  of  first-fruits. 
These  they  received  in  their  left,  and  at  once  passed  on  to 
their  right  hands:  0.  I.  L.  6,  1,  ISTo.  2104  a,  1.  26  ff.^ 


SUPEESTITIONS   BASED   UPOIST   THE   DEEIVED   ASSO- 
CIATION OP  EIGHT  AND  LEFT 


There  are  a  few  superstitions  or  superstitious  usages  con- 
nected with  the  right  and  left  which  it  is  impossible  to  explain, 
except  by  supposing  that  they  arose  after  the  idea  of  lucky  or 
favorable  had  become  firmly  attached  to  the  right,  and  the 
reverse  to  the  left.  They  are  therefore  directly  dependent 
upon  this   association. 

*  Dizionario  Epigrafico  di  Antichita  Romane,  Vol.  2,  p.  1587. 

*  Cf.  Henzen,  Acta  Fratrum  Arvalium,  Comment.,  p.  30. 


42  Right  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature. 


One  of  these  is  the  common  use  of  the  phrase  pes  dexter 
and  of  its  opposite  pes  sinister.  Their  origin  lies  in  the  custom 
of  entering  a  temple  or  house  with  the  right  foot  first:  ^ 
Petronius,  Cena  Trimalchionis,  30,  5 :  ^  His  repleti  volupta- 
tibus  cum  conaremur  in  triclinium  intrare,  exclamavit  unus 
ex  pueris,  qui  super  hoc  officium  erat  positus :  '  dextro  pede.' 
Sine  dubio  paulisper  trepidavimus  ne  contra  praeceptum  ali- 
quis  nostrum  limen  transiret.  ceterum  ut  pariter  movimus 
dextros  gressus,  servus  nobis  despoliatus  procubuit  ad  pedes 
ac  rogare  coepit,  ut  se  poenae  eriperemus ;  rettulimus  ergo  dex- 
tros pedes  dispensatoremque  in  atrio  aureos  numerantem  depre- 
cati  sumus,  ut  servo  remitteret  poenam.' 

Bj  conforming  with  this  requirement  the  visitor  made  his 
entrance  under  the  most  favorable  circumstances  and  good  luck 
was  assured. 

From  Vitruvius  we  learn  that  this  custom  was  of  weight  in 
the  very  construction  of  a  temple:  (de  Architectural  3,  4,  4) 
^  Gradus  in  fronte  constituendi  ita  sunt  uti  sint  semper  im- 
pares.  ISTamque  cum  dextri  pede  primus  gradus  ascendatur 
item  in  summo  templo  primus  erit  ponendus.'  With  this  as 
its  foundation,  the  phrase  ^  pede  dextro  '  came  to  be  used  for 
any  action  begun  or  performed  under  favorable  auspices: 
(Juvenal,  10,  5)  ^  quid  tarn  dextro  pede  concipis  ut  te  |  con- 
atus  non  paeniteat  votique  peracti '  ;  Silius  Italicus,  Pun.  7, 
1Y2 ;  Prudentius,  c.  Symm.  2,  79. 

For  dexter  is  sometimes  substituted  another  word  equivalent 
to  its  derived  meaning  of  favorable:  Vergil,  Aen.  8,  302;  10, 
255  (pede  secundo)  ;  Horace,  Epist.  2,  2,  3  (pede  fausto)  ; 
Ovid,  Fast.  1,  514  (felici  pede)  ;  Her.  21,  69-74. 

So  sinistra  pede  is  used  for  unfavorable  auspices :  Apuleius, 
Met.  1,  6,  27:    ^  sed  ut  fieri  adsolet,  sinistro  pede  profectum 

^Sutphen,  A  Collection  of  Latin  Proverhs,  p.  361. 


Right  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature.  43 

me  spes  compendii  frustrata  est '  ;  Ovid,  Met,  10,  452,  has 
the  same  reference :  ^  ter  pedis  ofTensi  signo  est  revocata,  ter 
omen.  |  funereus  bubo  letali  carmine  fecit;  Ovid,  Trist,  1, 
3,  55 ;  Am.  1,  12,  3  ff. ;  Epist.  21,  69. 

The  Two  Ways 

(  The  figurative  use  of  the  two  ways,  the  one  for  the  righteous, 
the  other  for  the  wicked,  is  very  old.  Thus  we  find  it  in  Hesiod, 
Works  and  Days  287  if. :  ttjv  fiev  roc  KaKorrjra  teal  IXaBov 
ecTTcv  eKeaOai  |  prjlBia)^'  okLyrj  fxev  oSof;,  fidXa  8'  iyyvOi 
vaiei.  I  T?)?  S'  aperrj<i  ISpcjra  Oeol  irpoirdpoiOev  edrj/cav  |  aOdva- 
Tot '  /JiaKpo<i  Be  fcal  6p6iO<^  oI/jlo<;  €9  avrrjv  |  fcal  rpr)xv^  to 
irpodTOV '  eirrjv  8'  et9  aKpov  ifcrjraL  |  prjlBLr]  Srj  eTretra  TreXet, 
^aXeTrr;  irep  iovaa.  The  same  idea  is  repeated  in  Xenophon 
(Memorabilia J  2,  1,  21)  where  is  recounted  the  Apologue  of 
Hercules  by  Prodicus. 

As  is  natural,  the  path  of  virtue  is  the  one  leading  to  the 
right;  the  path  of  vice,  the  one  leading  to  the  left:  (Antho- 
logia  Latina,  148,  1.  3)^  ^  l!Tam  via  virtutis  dextrum  petit 
ardua  collem  |  Difficilemque  aditum  prime  spectantibus 
offert,  I  Sed  requiem  praebet  fessis  in  vertice  summo  ' ;  Pru- 
dentius,  c.  Symm.  2,  882:  ^  Simplicis  ergo  viae  dux  est  Deus: 
ille  per  unam  |  ire  iubet  mortale  genus,  quam  dirigit  ipse  | 
sublimem  dextro  celsa  ad  f  astigia  clivo ' ;  Prudentius  Hamar- 
tigenia,  888.  The  idea  pervades,  also,  the  whole  body  of  the 
late  moral  and  apocalyptic  literature.^ 

Taylor  ^  states  that  the  figure  of  the  two  ways,  however 
ancient,  must  be  a  development  from  that  of  the  one  way, 
which  a  man  walks  in  with  guidance,  and  is  in  danger  of 
missing  without  it.  However,  as  Dieterich  thinks,  the  idea 
was  more  probably  transferred  from  the  two  roads  which  were 

^  Baehrens,  Poet.  Lat.  Min.  4,  p.  150, 

2  Dieterich,    NeJci/ia,    pp.    191,    192,    193;    Taylor,    'The    Two    Ways    in 
Hermes  and  Xenophon,'  Journal  of  Philology,  21    (1893),  p.  243  ff. 
'I.  c,  p.  256. 


44  Bight  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature, 

supposed  to  exist  in  Hadeis.,  the  one  on  the  right  leading 
to  Elysium,  the  one  on  the  left  leading  to  Tartarus.  Ver- 
gil, Aen.  6,  540:  ^  hie  locus  est  partis  ubi  se  via  findit  in 
ambas:  |  dextera  quae  Ditis  magni  sub  moenia  tendit,  |  hac 
iter  Elysium  nobis;  at  laeva  malorum  |  exercet  poenas  et  ad 
impia  Tartara  mittit '  ;  Plato,  Republic,  614  B  and  C :  e<^^  8e, 
iTrecSr)  ov  ifc^rjvai  T7]v  '^vxrjv,  iropevea-dai  jnera  iroWcoVj  Kol 
a(f)iKvelcr6aL  crc^a^  et?  tottov  nva  Bac/jLovLOVj  iv  S  tt}?  re  77)9 
8v  elvai  ^acryLtara  e^o/xeVo)  oWrfKoLv  Kal  rod  ovpavov  av  iv 
TM  dvco  aXka  /caTavrt/cpv  *  Bifcaara^  Be  fxera^v  tovtcov  KaOrjcrOaLy 
ov?,  iTrecSr]  hiahLKdaeiav,  tov<;  /lev  hiKaiov:;  KeXevetv  iropevecrOai 
Tr}V  et?  he^idv  re  koX  dvco  hid  rod  ovpavov,  arjjJLeia  TrepLd-yjravTa^ 
TMv  SeSi/caa-fievcov  iv  rw  irpoaOev,  tov<;  Be  dBUov^  rrjv  et?  apiaTepdv 
re  Kal  Kdrco,  e^ovra^  Kal  tovtov^  iv  tw  oircaOev  crrjfjLela  irdvTWV 
ciSv  STTpa^av. 

The  letter  Y,  or  rather  its  old  form  N  (i^)  was  selected  by 
Pythagoras  to  embody  the  image  of  the  two  paths.  Hence 
it  is  called  his  letter:  Persius  3,  56:^  ^  et  tibi  quae  Samios 
diduxit  littera  ramos  |  surgentem  dextro  monstravit  limite 
coUem  ' ;  cf .  Persius  5,  34.  "  The  stem  stood  for  the  uncon- 
scious life  of  infancy  and  childhood,  the  diverging  branches 
for  the  alternative  offered  to  the  youth,  virtue  or  vice '  ( Con- 
ington)  ;  cf.  Scholia  on  Persius  3,  56 :  '  quae  Pythagoras  Samo 
insula  praecepit,  qui  Y  ad  modum  humanae  vitae  figuravit 
.  .  .  et  in  sinistra  parte  rami  velut  vitia  sunt,  quae  devexior 
facilem  ad  se  praestat  ascensum.  est  altera  dextera  in  qua 
virtutis  opera  oelebrantur,  arduum  ac  difficilem  limitem 
pandens.     quam  qui  evaserint  quieta  sede  excipiuntur.' 

Sl^EEZING. 

Sneezing  was  from  very  early  times  regarded  as  an  important 
omen.  It  is  found  in  Homer  (Odyss.  IT,  541)  :  *n?  ^dro 
Tr)Xefia)(^o<;  Be    fiey^   hrrapev,  dp,(f>l  Be    Bcofjua  |  a-fiepBaXeov    Kovd- 

*  Notes  on  this  passage  by  Gildersleeve,  Jahn,  and  Conington,  in  their 
editions  of  Persius. 


Right  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature,  45 

^Tjcre'  ryeXacro-e  Se  YlrfveXoTreta,  |  a2^jra  8'  dp^  Ev/JLaiov  errea 
irrepoevra  TrpoarjvSa  •  |  "E/9;^eo  fiot,  rbv  ^elvov  ivavTLOV  coSe 
KaXeaaov.  |  ov)^^  opda^  6  /jlol  u/o?  iireiTTape  Trdcnv  eireaaLV ; 
Ovid  {Her.  18,  152)  proves  that  it  was  lucky  even  in  itself, 
without  any  reference  to  the  side  from  which  it  came :  *  Ster- 
nuit  et  lumen  (posito  nam  scribimus  illo)  |  sternuit  et  nobis 
prospera  signa  dedit ' ;  Propertius,  2,  3,  24 ;  Herodotus,  6,  107 ; 
Aristophanes,  Birds,  720 ;  Xenophon,  Anah,  3,  2,  9 ;  Aristotle, 
De  Animal.  Hist.  1,  492  b;  Prohl.  33;  Theocritus,  7,  96;  18, 
16.  Plutarch,  TTiemistocles,  119  A:  tovtov^  lSoov  Evcjypav- 
tlStj^;  6  [xdvTi^^  Q)<;  dfia  fiev  aveXafji-^lrev  m  rcov  lepojv  fieya 
Kal  irepi(f)avh  Trvp,  d/iia  8e  TTTapfio^  i/c  t(Ov  Se^ccov  ia-rjjjLrive. 
Here  the  sneeze  is  on  the  right  side,  exactly  as  we  would  expect 
from  what  has  been  already  observed  with  regard  to  the  char- 
acteristics of  the  right. 

A  perfect  parallel,  although  not  quite  as  elegant,  is  Aristo- 
phanes, Knights,  638 :  ravra  (fypovTi^ovTv  /jlol  |  ifc  Sefta?  dire- 
iraphe  Karairvtyoiv  avrjp.  |  Kccyclo  irpoo-eKvaa. 

Plutarch  {De  Gen.  8oc.  581  A)  shows  that  sneezing  on  the 
left  was  sometimes  regarded  as  unfavorable:  dXXd  fir)v,  e<^?;, 
Kol  avTo<^  (o  TaXa^ihcope  MeyaptKov  nvo^  TJKOVcra,  ^ep-^icDvo^ 
8e  ifcelvo^j  on  to  ^coKpdrov;  SaifJLovLov  TTTap/jLO^;  rjv,  6  re  Trap^ 
avTov  KOL  6  nrap'  dXXcov  •  irepou  fxev  irrapovro'^  i/c  Sef ta?,  el'r^ 
oiriaOeVy  elr'  e/JL7rpoa6ev,  op/mdv  avrov  iirl  ttjv  irpd^LV  *  et  8'  ef 
dpiarepd'^y  dTrorpeTreaOat  •  rcov  3'  avrov  TTTapfioiv  rov  /juev  ert 
fjLeXXovTO^  /3e/3aioOi/,  rov  8'  tjSt}  irpda-aovTO'i  €7re%€tz^  Kal  KcoXveiv 
TTJV   opfxrjv. 

A  great  deal  of  difficulty  has  been  found  in  the  interpre- 
tation of  certain  passages  in  the  forty-fifth  poem  of  Catullus 
(45,  1.  8)  :  '  Hoc  ut  dixit,  Amor,  sinistra  ut  ante,  |  Dextram 
sternuit  approbationem '  ;  the  same  is  repeated  in  lines  17  and 
18 ;  and  in  lines  19  and  20  is  added:  ^  I^unc  ab  auspicio  bono 
profecti   |  Mutui  animis  amant  amantur.' 

There  are  two  points  here  which  afford  trouble  to  the  com- 
mentators. First,  why  sinistra  and  dextram  should  both  be 
used;  and  secondly,  what  the  phrase  ut  ante  refers  to.     With 


46  Bight  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature. 

the  latter  we  are  not  concerned.  Instead  of  dextram  the 
reading  dextra  is  also  found  in  the  manuscripts;  Ellis,  how- 
ever, seems  to  be  correct  in  adopting  dextram,  and  this  reading 
furnishes  a  very  simple  interpretation.^ 

By  some  commentators  it  is  supposed  that  the  idea  of  un- 
lucky or  unfavorable  is  contained  in  sinistra.  This  view  may 
be  dismissed  at  once.  Ellis  holds  that  the  notion  is  that  of 
incomplete  as  opposed  to  complete  approval.  He  translates: 
"  When  he  had  said  this  Love  sneezed  his  good-will  on  the 
right  as  he  had  sneezed  his  good-will  on  the  left  before.'^ 
The  explanations,  as  a  whole,  seem  to  be  rather  forced,  and 
there  is  really  a  much  simpler  one.  It  is  first  necessary  to 
recognize  that  sinistra  and  dextram  as  used  here  come  from 
two  entirely  distinct  spheres,  and  that  we  have  here  a  mixture 
of  two  elements;  namely,  those  of  augury  and  of  popular 
usage.  As  is  well  known,  and  as  will  be  seen  later,  the  favor- 
able side  for  the  Romans  when  interpreting  omens  was  the 
left.  Therefore  as  Love  is  to  give  a  favorable  omen,  Catullus 
causes  him  to  sneeze  on  the  left  side  of  the  two  lovers.  This 
much  is  plain.  If  now  we  remember  the  meaning  which  is 
so  often  attached  to  dexter,  namely  that  of  favorable  or  lucky, 
the  passage  becomes  clear  at  once. 

In  short,  dextram  does  not  have  here  its  primary  meaning 
of  right  at  all,  but  simply  its  later  derived  meaning  of  favor- 
able. Thus  sinistra  and  dextram  agree  perfectly,  both  ex- 
pressing the  idea  that  Love  was  favorable  to  the  two  lovers. 
Might  not  ut  ante  refer  to  the  previous  relations  of  the  lovers, 
not  merely  to  the  particular  moment  described  in  the  poem? 
Love  had  always  been  favorable  to  them,  and  therefore  might 
readily  be  said  to  have  hitherto  always  sneezed  on  their  left, 
that  is  given  them  signs  of  his  approval.     We  would,  then, 

^  Each  editor  of  Catullus  has  advanced  a  separate  explanation  of  his 
own  for  this  passage.  The  principal  ones  may  be  found  in  the  note  of 
Ellis  on  Catullus  45,  11.  8-9,  also  in  his  Excursus  on  45,  8-9  (Commentary 
on  Catullus,  2nd  Ed.,  p.  162  ff.);  also  in  Friedrich,  Catullus,  note  on 
45,  11.  8-9. 


Right  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature.  47 

translate  these  two  lines   literally:   When  he  had   said  this, 
Love  on  the  left,  as  hitherto,  sneezed  his  approval. 


EIGHT  AND  LEFT  IN  AUGURY 


/  The  entire  subject  of  augury  has  been  very  thoroughly 
studied,  but  as  the  right  and  the  left  played  such  an  important 
part  in  the  practice  of  augury  it  seems  necessary  to  give  a 
brief  review  of  results  already  obtained.  I.  M.  J.  Valeton, 
in  his  article  entitled  De  Modis  Auspicandi  Romanorum,^  pre- 
sents the  most  plausible  solution  of  the  much  discussed  ques- 
tions which  arise,  and  in  the  main  his  conclusions  will  be 
adopted. 

SiGNA  Impetrita 

/The  chief  point  in  which  the  use  of  right  and  left  in  augury 
differs  from  that  which  we  have  already  seen,  is  the  fact  that 
the  meaning  of  favorable  is  connected  with  laevus  and  sinister. 
This  is  due,  however,  to  their  association  with  a  certain 
portion  of  the  sky,  which  in  turn  must  be  traced  to  the  position 
assumed  by  the  augur  when  observing  omens.  Grimm  ^  states 
that  the  primitive  Aryan  turned  toward  the  east.  The  abode 
of  the  Aryan's  gods  was  to  the  north,  and  the  north  was  to 
the  left,  therefore  north  and  left  were  lucky.  The  Komans 
preserved  this  view.  But  the  Greeks  and  other  Aryan  peoples 
in  historic  times  regarded  the  right  as  lucky;  therefore  they 
must  have  turned  their  right  sides  to  the  lucky  north,  that 
is  they  must  have  faced  west.  Still  another  view  is  held, 
namely  that  the  east  was  lucky;  therefore  the  Greeks,  in  order 
to  have  it  on  their  right,  faced  north,  while  the  Romans  faced 

^Mnemosyne,    17    (1889),  pp.   275-325. 

'  Oeschichte  der  deutschen  Sprache,  pp.   980-6. 


48  Bight  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature, 

south.     Einally  it  is  held  by  some  writers  that  both   these 
manners  of  orientation  existed  side  by  side.^ 

The  space  marked  out  in  the  air  by  the  augur  when  prepar- 
ing to  observe  his  omens  was  known  technically  as  the  templum. 
Regell  ^  thought  that  there  were  among  the  Romans  themselves 
two  forms  of  this  templum,  the  one  facing  the  east,  in  which 
birds  were  observed;  the  other  facing  the  south  for  the  obser- 
vation of  thunder.  As  Valeton  proves,  however,  signs  were 
observed  either  in  a  templum  facing  the  east  or  without  any 
at  all,  while  looking  in  every  direction ;  but  never  while  facing 
the  south.  The  manner  of  procedure  followed  by  an  augur 
when  demanding  certain  signs  from  the  gods  is  shown  well 
in  Livy,  1,  18,  6  ff. :  ^  (ITuma)  de  se  quoque  deos  consuli 
iussit.  Inde  ab  augure  (...)  deductus  in  arcem,  in  lapide 
ad  meridiem  versus  consedit.  Augur  ad  laevam  eius  capite 
velato  sedem  cepit,  dextra  manu  baculum  sine  nodo  aduncum 
tenens,  quem  lituum  appellarunt.  Inde  ubi  prospectu  in  urbem 
agrumque  capto  deos  precatus  regiones  ab  oriente  ad  occasum 
determinavit.  Dextras  ad  meridiem  partes,  laevas  ad  sep- 
temtrionem  esse  dixit,  signum  contra,  quoad  longissime  con- 
spectum  oculi  ferebant,  animo  finivit;  tum  lituo  in  laevam 
manum  translato  dextra  in  caput  E'umae  imposita  precatus 
ita  est :  "  luppiter  pater,  si  est  fas  hunc  Numam  Pompilium, 
cuius  ego  caput  teneo,  regem  Romae  esse,  uti  tu  signa  nobis 
certa  adclarassis  inter  eos  fines  quos  feci.''  Tum  peregit 
verbis  auspicia,  quae  mitti  vellet;  quibus  missis  declaratus 
rex  l^uma  de  templo  descendit.' 

This  practice  was  followed  by  all  succeeding  augurs.  That 
is  all  who  sought  either  celestial  signs  or  signs  from  birds  faced 
the  east  steadfastly.  The  cause  was  simple,  says  Valeton, 
since  to  primitive  man  it  would  seem  natural  that  the  gods 
should  send  signs  from  the  part  of  the  sky  from  which  rose 

^  Wissowa,  Religion  der  Romer,  p.  452 ;   Jevons,  '  Indo-European    Modes 
of   Orientation/    Classical  Review,    10    (1896),   p.   23. 
^Jahrh.  fiir  Class.  Philol,   1881,  pp.  593-637. 


Right  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature,  49 

the  sun,  the  stars,  and  indeed  the  whole  movement  of  the  uni- 
verse; of.  Dionysius,  Antiquit,  Rom.  2,  5,  245. 

The  templum  was  always  divided  into  two  parts,  right  and 
left.  To  these  v/ere  given  special  names:  the  right  side,  that 
is  towards  the  south,  being  called  the  antica;  the  left  side, 
towards  the  north,  the  postica:  (Festus,  220)  ^  et  dexteram 
anticam,  sinistram  posticam  dicimus  ' ;  Servius,  Vergil^  Eel. 
9.  15.  In  interpreting  signs  which  had  been  asked  for,  how- 
ever, these  parts  of  the  templum  did  not  form  the  basis  for 
their  being  judged  favorable  or  unfavorable.  The  augur 
asked  that  the  gods  should  send  the  sign  from  a  certain  direc- 
tion. If  this  was  done  the  omen  was  favorable:  (Cicero,  Div. 
1,  39,  85)  '  quid  augur  (habet)  cur  a  dextra  corvus,  a  sinistra 
cornix  faciat  ratum.'  The  comix  will  be  favorable  not  because 
it  appeared  from  the  left,  but  because  it  was  asked  from  the 
left.  When  good  signs  are  called  sinistra,  i.  e.  fausta,  they 
have  not  received  this  name  from  the  left  nor  from  the  right 
part  of  the  templum.  Cf.  Festus,  339 :  ^  sinistrae  aves  sinis- 
trumque  est  sinistimum  auspicium,  id  quod  sinat  fieri ' ; 
Servius,  Aen.  2,  693 ;  Plutarch,  Qu.  Rom,  282  E. 

Thus  Cicero  himself  states  that  sinister  is  applied  to  all 
favorable  omens  whether  they  appear  from  the  left  or  right: 
{Div.  2,  39,  82)  "  baud  ignoro,  quae  bona  sint,  sinistra  nos 
dicere,  etiam  si  dextra  sint '' ;  Festus,  351. 

So,  too,  when  the  gods  wished  to  emphasize  their  approval 
and  sent  other  signs  besides  those  asked  for,  these  were  called 
sinistra  and  laeva  in  whatever  part  of  the  templum  they  ap- 
peared. To  summarize,  therefore,  all  signs  seen  in  a  templum, 
whether  asked  or  voluntary,  which  are  favorable  are  called 
sinistra  and  laeva  with  no  reference  to  the  parts  of  the  tem- 
plum: Plautus,  Pseud.  762;  Ennius,  Ann.  3,  fr.  7,  1.  156;^ 
Cicero,  Leg.  3,  3,  9;  Div.  2,  35,  74;  Fam.  6,  6,  7;  Lucan, 
Pilars.  1,  601 ;  Pliny,  Pan.  5,  3. 

Varro   (L.  L.  7,  7)   speaks  of  another  form  of  templum: 

^Ed.  MliUer. 

4 


50  Right  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature. 

'Eius  templi  (caeli)  partes  quattuor  dicuntur,  sinistra  ab 
oriente,  dextra  ab  occasu,  antica  ad  meridiem,  postica  ad  sep- 
tentrionem.'  These  words,  according  to  Valeton,  are  to  be 
referred  to  the  gods  themselves,  not  to  a  second  method  of 
orientation.  The  Komans  agreed  that  the  gods  dwelt  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  heavens,  and  therefore  the  term  laevus 
was  applied  to  the  east.  Festus,  339:  '  Varro  1.  5  epistolica- 
rum  quaestionum  ait ;  ''  sl  deorum  sede  cum  in  meridiem  spectes 
ad  sinistram  sunt  partes  mundi  exorientes,  ad  dexteram  occi- 
dentes  factum  arbitror,  ut  sinistra  meliora  auspicia  quam 
dextra  esse  existimentur."  ' 

SiGTTA  Oblativa 

In  cases  where  signs  were  sent  by  the  gods  of  their  own 
volition,  without  any  especial  request,  there  were  tv/o  methods 
of  deciding  whether  they  were  favorable  or  the  reverse.  They 
might  be  judged  either  from  the  region  or  part  of  the  sky 
in  which  they  appeared,  or  from  their  position  relative  to 
the  obsei-ver,  that  is  whether  they  were  seen  on  his  right  or 
left  hand.  In  the  case  of  the  former,  all  signs  which  were  seen 
in  the  eastern  portion  of  the  sky  were  to  the  Romans  sinistra, 
i.  e.  fausta.  This  applied  to  birds,  thunder,  and  lightning. 
Statins,  Theh.  3,  491:  ^  Si  datur  et  duris  sedet  haec  sententia 
Parcis  |  Solvere  Echionias  Lernaea  cuspide  portus,  |  Signa 
feras,  laevusque  tones,  tunc  omnis  in  astris  |  Consonet  arcana 
volucris  bona  murmura  lingua.  |  Si  prohibes,  hie  necte  moras 
dextrisque  profundum  |  Alitibus  praetexe  diem.' 

In  this  example  we  have  dextris  with  the  meaning  ^  unfavor- 
able '  as  opposed  to  sinistris,  and  referring  to  the .  western 
part  of  the  sky:  Ovid,  Fasti,  4,  833:  Uonitru  dedit  omina 
laevo  I  luppiter,  et  laevo  fulmina  missa  polo.  |  augurio  laeti 
iaciunt  fundamina  cives '  ;  Pliny,  Nat.  Hist.  2,  54,  142 : 
^  Laeva  (fulmina)  prospera  existimantur,  quoniam  laeva  parte 
mundi  ortus  est'  ;  Ennius,  Ann.  3,  fr.  Sal.  154;  fr.  6,  yS, 
1.  155;  1  Cicero,  5,  Marius,  ^o.  19,  1.  9  ff.;  ^  Cicero,  Div.  2, 

^Ed.  Muller. 

*  Baehrena,  Poet.  Lat.  Min.  6,  p.  305. 


Right  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature,  51 

39,  82;  Phil.  2,  38,  99;  Vergil,  Aen,  2,  692;  9,  631;  Ovid, 
Trist,  1,  9,  49. 

The  reason  for  the  east,  and  therefore  the  left,  being  the 
place  for  favorable  omens  has  been  already  istated.  When, 
therefore,  dexter,  laevus,  or  sinister  are  used  in  connection 
with  the  celestial  signs,  thej  must  always  be  referred  to  the 
east  or  the  west,  never  to  the  right  or  left  hand  sides. 

With  the  Greeks  also  there  existed  the  idea  that  the  east 
was  the  best  portion  of  the  sky.  With  them,  however,  in 
direct  opposition  to  the  Romans,  favorable  omens  appearing  in 
the  east  were  described  by  the  epithet  8efto9,  while  apiarepo^ 
was  applied  to  the  unfavorable.  Cicero,  Div.  2,  39,  82  :  '  Quae 
autem  est  inter  augures  conveniens  et  coniuncta  constantia? 
Ad  nostri  augurii  consuetudinem  dixit  Ennius:  tum  tonuit 
laevum  bene  tempestate  serena.  At  Homericus  Aiax  apud 
Achillem  querens  de  ferocitate  Troianorum  nescio  quid  hoc 
modo  nuntiat;  prospera  luppiter  his  dextris  fulgoribus  edit. 
Ita  nobis  sinistra  videntur  Graiis  et  barbaris  dextra  meliora. 
Quamquam  baud  ignoro  quae  bona  sint  sinistra  nos  dicer e 
etiam  si  dextra  sint.  Sed  certe  nostri  sinistrum  nominaverunt 
extemique  dextrum  quia  plerumque  id  melius  videbatur.' 

In  order  to  explain  this  difference,  numerous  theories  have 
been  advanced.-^  The  explanation  generally  adopted  is  a  differ- 
ence in  orientation,  i.  e.,  the  Romans  faced  east,  while  the 
Greeks  faced  west.  The  difficulty  then  arises  of  accounting 
for  the  origin  of  this  change.  Valeton,  however,  offers  an 
explanation  which  is  exactly  in  line  with  what  we  have  seen 
to  be  the  case  with  regard  to  the  right  in  general.  He  says: 
'  Auspicia  oblativa,  si  in  Oriente  videbantur  fausta  erant 
Graecis.  Haec  ratio  vero,  ut  apud  Romanos,  apud  eos  quoque 
coniuncta  fuit  cum  altera  ratione,  qua  signa  bona  quaedam 
plurimi  aestimabantur  si  a  dextra  manu  superveniebant ;  utra- 
que  apud  Graecos  simul  viguit.  Haec  ratio  autem,  quae  ad 
dextram  manum  pertinebat  .  .  .  ab  initio  .  .  .  fere  adhibita 

*  Cf .  Grimm,  I.  c;  Jevons,  I.  c. 


52  Right  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature. 

esse  videtur  ad  signa  aut  domi  aut  sub  divo  in  proxima  vicini- 
tate  accepta,  inprimis  quae  ad  singulos  homines  referenda  esse 
viderentur;  haec  signa  enim,  domestica  praesertim,  faciliorem 
habebant  interpretationem  ex  parte  corporis  quam  ex  regione 
caeli.  Altera  ratio  vero  quae  ad  Orientis  praestantiam  per- 
tinebat  inprimis  adbibebatur  ut  videtur,  ad  signa  aeria  et 
caelestia,  ad  ea  praesertim  quae  magnae  alicui  hominum  multi- 
tudini  (cuius  neque  dextra  pars  certa  erat  neque  laeva)  appare- 
bant.  Sed  utramque  rationem  ita  coniungere  et  quasi  con- 
glutinare  Graecis  placuit,  ut  eodem  vocabulo  uterentur  ad 
utrumque  genus  locorum  designandum.  AeftoV  dictus  est  et 
locus  Orientalis  et  locus  a  dextra  manu;  apLcrT€p6^  cum  regie 
Occidentalism  turn  locus  a  laeva  manu.  Causa  huius  metonymiae 
simplex  et  clara  est ;  rb  he^iov,  quod  erat  nomen  loci  quo  signa 
domestica  et  ad  singulos  bomines  pertinentia  accipiebant  vim 
insignem  et  plerumque  salutarem,  transferebatur  ad  eam 
regionem  caeli,  qua  eandem  vim  habere  credebantur  signa 
caelestia  et  aeria  et  ad  magnas  multitudines  hominum  per- 
tinentia; ita  regio  Orientalis  ra  Se^td  dicta  i.  e.  loca  pulchra 
sive  meliora.' 

Homer,  II.  13,  821  :  5)9  dpa  ol  elirovTL  eTreTrraro  he^Lo<; 
6pVL<;,  I  atero?  vyjn7r6Tr)<;  •  ivl  8'  ta;^e  \ao<;  'A^atwz/  ddp(7vvo<; 
oi(ov(p.  Homer,  Od.  20,  242 :  avrdp  6  toIctlv  dpiaTepo^  rfkvOev 
6pvL<;,  I  al€Tb<;  ir^nrenf)^ ,  ep^e  hi  Tprjpcova  TreXecav.  Homer,  11. 
10,274;  12,  201;  219:  239;  24,  294;  320;  Od.  2,  154; 
15,   160;  525;  24,  312;  Plutarch,   Tib.  Gracchus,  832  C. 

A  rainbow,  if  seen  in  a  dream  on  the  right  hand  side,  is 
declared  by  Artemidorus  a  good  omen;  if  seen  on  the  left, 
a  bad  one.  The  right  and  left  sides,  however,  must  be  judged 
with  reference  to  the  sun:  (Onirocritica,  2,  36)  'If>t9  Be^ta  fiev 
6pco/jL€VTj  dyaOrj,  €V(opvfJLO<;  8e  irovrjpd.  Se^idv  Se  koI  evcovvfjLov 
ov  7r/oo9  Tov  opodvra  'x^prj  voelvj   dXkd  7rpo<;  top  rfKiov. 

Lightning  flashing  towards  the  right,  that  is  the  east,  was  a 
favorable  omen:  Homer,  II.  9,  236:  Zew  3e  a-</)t  KpoviSfj^ 
ivSe^ia  cr7]fjLaTa  <^aCv(ov  |  da-TpdiTTei.  IL  2,  353  ;  Plutarch,  De 
Gen.  Soc.  594  D. 


Right  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature,  63 

Pythagoras  considered  that  there  were  certain  parts  of  the 
universe  per  se  dexteras,  and  others  per  se  laevas.  Aristotle, 
De  Caelo,  284  b :  tlv&;  elcriv  oi  (f>a(TLv  elvai  ri  Se^cov  koI  apicr- 
repov  Tov  ovpavov,  KaOdirep  ol  KaXovjjLevoL  Tlv6ay6p€Loc ;  Aris- 
totle, fr.  200  :  to  ovv  Se^cov  /cal  dvco  /cal  ep^irpoaOev  dyaOov 
ifcaXovv  (ot  Ilvday6p€L0c)j  to  Be  dpcaTepov  koX  kcltco  Kal  oinaOeu 
KUKOv  eXeyov. 

Aristotle  claimed  that  the  east  was  called  the  right  part  of 
the  universe,  because  from  it  began  the  motion  of  the  universe ; 
(De  Caelo  285  b)  Be^cov  yap  i/cdo-Tov  Xeyo/nev,  oOev  rj  a/3%^ 
tt}?  KaTCL  TOTTOv  KLVTjoreG)^  '  TOV  8'  ovpavov  cip'X^rjv  rr)"?  7r€pi<f>opd<: 
66ev  at  dvaToXal  twv  da-Tpcov,  coaTe  tovt''  dv  ecr}  Be^cov,  ou  8' 
at  hvaei^,  dpLCTTepov.     Plutarch,  Be  Plac,  PML,  888  B. 

Signs  were  also  judged  from  their  position  with  regard  to  the 
observer.  In  this  method  those  occurring  on  the  right  were 
favorable,  while  those  occurring  on  the  left  were  unfavorable. 
The  reason  is  obvious,  and  in  line  with  the  usual  custom,  apart 
from  augury.  Propertius,  5,  1,  67 :  '  Roma,  f ave,  tibi  surgit 
opus,  date  Candida  cives  |  Omina  et  inceptis  dextera  cantet 
avis  ' ;  Ovid,  Her.  2,  115 :  '  Cui  mea  virginitas  avibus  libata 
sinistris  |  Castaque  f allaci  zona  recincta  manu !  '  Cicero,  7, 
Ilias,  jN"o.  25 :  ^  "  prospera  luppiter  his  dextris  fulgoribus 
edit ' ;  Varro,  De  Re  Rustica  3,  17,  10 ;  Plautus,  Amph.  333 ; 
Xenophon,  Cyrop.  2,  1,  1 :  avT0L<;  aero?  Se^to?  (f)aveh  ;  Anah, 
6,  1,  23;  Cyrop.  7,  1,  3  ;  Pausanias,  4,  21,  7  :  koI — Tja-TpaTTTe 
yap  T0VT0L<;  KaTa  Se^La — d'ire(f)aLV€v  "E/ta?  o  fidvTi^  &)?  atatov 
€17}  TO  (rrj/jLelov. 

Pliny  states  that  a  wolf  stopping  suddenly  was  a  most 
powerful  omen  for  those  making  a  journey,  provided  he  met 
them  on  their  right  hand  side:  (Nat.  Hist.  8,  83)  "  eundem 
(lupum)  in  fame  vesci  terra,  inter  auguria,  ad  dexteram 
commeantium  praeciso  itinere  si  pleno  id  ore  fecerit,  nullum 
ominum  praestantius." 

An  eagle  appearing  suddenly  from  the  right  side  is  declared 

^  Baehrens,  Poet.  Lat.  Min.  6,  p.  307. 


54  Right  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature, 

a  good  omen  bj  Suetonius,  Vitellius,  9,4:^  Praemisso  agmini 
laetum  evenit  auspicium,  siquidem  a  parte  dextra  repente 
aqnila  advolavit;  lustratisque  signis  ingressns  viam  sensim 
antecessit.'  So,  also,  an  eagle  perched  on  the  right  shoulder  of 
the  Emperor  Claudius  as  he  was  entering  the  Forum:  (Sue- 
tonius, Claudius,  7,  3)  ^^  evenitque  ut  primitus  ingredient! 
cum  fascibus  forum,  praetervolans  aquila  dexteriore  umero 
considerat." 

The  trembling  of  a  hedge  on  the  left  side  is  considered 
unlucky.  Ovid,  Fast.  2,  501 :  "  Cum  subito  motu  saepes 
tremuere  sinistrae: —  |  Rettulit  ille  gradus,  horrueruntque 
comae : —  " 

Augustus  regarded  it  as  an  ill-omen  to  put  on  his  left  shoe 
before  the  right.  Suetonius,  Augustus,  92 :  '^  Auspicia  et 
omina  quaedam  pro  certissimis  observabat ;  si  mane  sibi  calceus 
perperam  ac  sinister  pro  dextro  induceretur  ut  dirum  " ;  cf . 
Pliny,  Nat.  Hist.  2,  7,  24. 

In  the  case  of  celestial  signs  appearing  in  the  east,  their 
motion  from  left  to  right  was  sometimes  of  importance.^  So 
in  the  description  of  the  dream  seen  by  Tarquinus  Superbus, 
the  aug-urs  declared  that  it  was  an  unfavorable  omen  for  him, 
but  favorable  for  the  Roman  people,  since  the  sun  had  moved 
towards  the  right.  Accius,  Brutus,  frs.  1  and  2 ;  ^  fr.  1,  1.  9 : 
^  Exin  prostratum  terra,  graviter  saucium,  |  Resupinum  in  caelo 
contueri  maximum  |  Mirificum  facinus  dextrorsum  orbem  flam- 
meum  |  Radiatum  solis  linquier  cursu  novo  ' ;  f  r.  2,  1.  6 :  '  nam 
id  quod  de  sole  ostentum  est  tibi,  |  Populo  commutationem 
rerum  portendit  fore  |  Perpropinquam.  haec  bene  verruncent 
populo!  nam  quod  dexterum  |  Cepit  cursum  ab  laeva  signum 
praepotens  pulcherrume  |  Auguratum  est  rem  Romanam  publi- 
cam  summam  fore.' 

We  also  find  cases  in  which  someone  seeing  a  sign  on  his 
right  side  does  not  interpret  this  as  favorable,  but  merely  as 


*Valeton,  I.  c,  p.  316. 

"  Ribbeck,  8c.  Rom.  Foes.  Frag.  1,  p.  328. 


Bight  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature,  55 

being  of  importance  for  him.  This  interpretation  is  quite 
rare  and  only  belongs  to  those  signs  which  seem  to  foretell 
something  and  which  require  the  interpretation  of  some  skilled 
person.^  Ammianus  Marcellinus,  21,  15,  2:  '  (Constantius) 
autumno  iam  senescente  profectus  cum  ad  suburbanum  venisset 
disiimctum  exinde  tertio  lapide,  Hippocephalum  nomine, 
lucente  iam  die  cadaver  hominis  interfecti  dextra  iacens  capite 
avulso  conspexit,  contra  occiduum  latus  extensum;  territusque 
omine,  finem  parantibus  f  atis,  destinatius  ipse  tendebat ' ; 
Xenophon,  Anal.,  6,  1,  23  :  Kal  ore  ef  'Ecfyeaov  copfxaro  Kvpo) 
crv(TTa9r]a6/jL€VO'^,  alerov  ave/jLifiv^a/cero  eavro)  Se^iov  (pOeyyo/jbevovj 
fcadrjfievov  fjievroi,  ovirep  6  fjLdvTt<;,  TrpoTrefiTrcop  avrov  eXeyev  otl 
/jL€ya<;  jxev  ol(ovb<;  etrj  Kal  ovk  l8tcoTiK6<i,  /cal  evBo^o<;  eirlTrovo^ 
fievroL. 

Frequently,  however,  the  regular  augural  usage  persists,  so 
that  the  sign  which  appears  on  the  left  is  favorable,  while  that 
on  the  right  is  unfavorable.  Thus  the  woodpecker  and  the 
crow,  when  seen  by  the  observer  on  his  left  were  good  omens, 
while  the  raven  or  owl  in  order  to  be  so  had  to  be  seen  on  the 
right.  In  this  case  neither  the  right  nor  the  left  side  has  in 
itself  any  lucky  or  unlucky  force,  but  merely  acquires  it  from 
the  special  birds.  Plautus,  Asin.  259 :  impetritum,  inaugur- 
atumst:  quo  vis  admittunt  aves  |  picus  et  cornix  ab  laeva, 
corvos,  parra  ab  dextera  |  consuadent '' ;  Plautus,  Aulul.  624; 
Cicero,  Div.  1,  39,  85 ;  Vergil,  Ed.  9,  16 ;  Lucan,  Phars,  5, 
396;  Phaedrus,  3,  18,  12;  Horace,  Odes,  3,  27,  13:  'sis  licet 
felix  ubicumque  mavis,  |  et  memor  nostri,  Galatea,  vivas,  | 
teque  nee  laevus  vetet  ire  picus  |  nee  vaga  cornis.'  Here  laevus 
is  used  for  infaustus,  and  the  woodpecker  is  laevus  because  it 
appears  on  the  right  hand  side.  Cf.  Petronius,  Cena  Tri- 
malchionis,  122,  1.  177:  '  haec  ubi  personuit,  de  caelo  Delphicus 
ales  I  omina  laeta  dedit  pepulitque  meatibus  auras.  |  nee  non 
horrendi  nemoris  de  parte  sinistra  |  insolitae  voces  flamma 
sonuere  sequenti.' 

^Valeton,  I.  c,  p.  308. 


56  RigM  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature. 

In  conclusion  it  may  be  well  to  give  a  list  of  those  passages 
in  which  dexter,  sinister,  and  laevus  occur,  used  solely  with 
their  derived  meanings  of  favorable  and  unfavorable,  without 
the  slightest  reference  to  the  right  or  the  left.  This  will  serve 
to  show  the  frequency  of  their  use,  also  the  very  early  stage 
of  the  language  in  which  such  meanings  were  developed.  Thus 
the  first  example  of  dexter  meaning  favorable  is  found  in 
Vergil.  However,  sinister  with  the  meaning  unfavorable  occurs 
in  Catullus,  and  laevus  still  earlier  in  Lucilius. 

Dexter  =  favorable: 

Vergil,  Aen.  2,  388  ;  4,  294 ;  579 ;  8,  302.     Aetna,  4. 

Propertius,  4,  1,  47;  8,  58;  5,  1,  72;  9,  72. 

Horace,  Sat.  2,  1,  18. 

Ovid,  Ars  Am,  2,  145;  Trist.  5,  3,  57;  5,  30;  Fast,  1,  6;  67; 

69;  Pont,  4,  16,  24. 
Persius,  2,  11;  3,  48. 

Seneca,  Medea,  68;  Nat.  Quaest,  1,  5,  14;  2,  32,  3. 
Valerius  Flaccus,  Arg.  1,  245. 
Statins,  8ilv.  1,  2,  32 ;  211 ;  3,  3,  146 ;  4,  63 ;  4,  7,  48 ;  5,  1,  13 ; 

71;  144;  3,  121;  Theh.  1,  717;  2,  153;  3,  157;  374; 

6,  49;  7,  663;  732;  10,  132;  11,  704;  12,  211;  AcJiil. 

1,  558;  738, 

Silius  Italicus,  Pun,  2,  543;  5,  85;  227;  11,  529;  13,  114; 

820 ;  14,  467. 
Apuleuis,  Met.  2,  14,  123. 
Claudian,  101,  124. 
Prudentius,  Cath,  73;  Peristeph,  9,  105.;  ApotJi,  9;  c,  Symm, 

2,  493;  564. 
Calpurnius,  Eclogae,  3,  97.-'- 
Aegritudo  Perdicae,  281.^ 
Incerti  Ponticon  Praefation,  18.^ 

*  Baehrens,  Poet.  Lat.  Min.  3,  p.  82. 
'Baehrens,  I.  c,  5,  p.  124. 
'Baehrens,  I.  c,  3,  p.  173,  No.  32. 


Bight  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature,  57 

Dextere: 

Livy,  1,  34,  12 ;  8,  36,  7. 

Seneca,  Ad  Polyhium  de  Consolatione,  6,  1. 

Sinister  ==  unfavorable : 

Catullus,  29,  15. 

Vergil,  Georg.  1,  444;  Ae7i.  10,  110;  11,  347. 

Propertius,  4,  2,  9. 

Ovid,  Her.  13,  49;  21,  68. 

Phaedrus,  2,  9  (Auctor)  16. 

Curtius  Kufus,  Hist.  Alex.  7,  4,  10. 

Columella,  1,  5,  8. 

Seneca,  Troad.  983 ;  De  Ira,  3,  3,  4 ;  Nat.  Quaest,  1,  5,  14. 

Lucan,  Phars.  8,  52. 

Valerius  Placcus,  Arg.  3,  303. 

Quintilian,  Inst.  Orator.  11,  3,  68. 

Statins,  Silv.  3,  4,  76 ;  5,  3,  2  ;  Tlieh.  1,  244 ;  647  ;  3,  538 ;  691 ; 

6,200;  701;  8,  177. 
Silius  Italicus,  Pun.  1,  56;  2,  632;  9,  9;  10,  390;  12,  204; 

13,  391;  17,  584. 
Pliny,  Epist.  7,  28,  3. 
Tacitus,  Ann.  1,  74,  10;  6,  32,  16;  11,  19,  11;  Hist.  1,  51,  25; 

2,  93,  13;  5,  5,  2;  Agric.  5,  15. 
Juvenal,  2,  87. 
Apuleius,  Met.  11,  15,  782. 
Claudian,  3,  20 ;  28,  274. 
Prudentius,  Cath.  2,  95 ;  6,  123 ;  7,  173 ;  Hamar.  463 ;  Psych. 

19;  c.  Symm.  2,  684;  Peristeph.  13,  21. 
Dracontius,  Carm.  Prof.  8,  638.^ 
Anthologia  Latina,  188,  1.  12 ;  ^  196,  1.  16 ;  ^  463,  1.  5.* 

^Baehrens,  Poet.  Lat.  Min.  5,  p.  183,  No.  54. 
^Baehrens,  I.  c,  4,  p.  185. 
'Baehrens,  I.  c,  4,  p.  189. 
*Baehrens,  I.  c,  4,  p.  397. 


58  Right  and  Left  in  Roman  Literature. 

Sinistre : 

Tacitus,  Hist.  1,  7,  12 ;  3,  52,  14, 

Laevus  =  unfavorable : 

Lucilius,  Sat.  9,  No.  237.^ 

Vergil,  Geor^.  4,  7 ;  Aen.  2,  54;  10,  275. 

Horace,  8at.  %  ^,  ^\  Ars  Poet.  301. 

Ovid,  Pont.  4,  9,  119. 

Aulus  Gellins,  5,  12,  13. 

Statins,  ^iZ..  2,  3,  29;  Theh.  1,  634;  2,  16;  4,  268;  602;  5, 

307 ;  11,  444. 
Silius  Italicus,  Pun.  5,  660 ;  7,  30. 
Martial,  6,  85,  3. 
Juvenal,  14,  228. 
Ammianns  Marcellinus,  14,  11,  12;  25,  6,  3. 

Laeve : 
Horace,  Epist.  1,  7,  52. 


*  Baehrens,  L  c,  4,  p.  173. 


LIFE 

Anthony  Pelzer  Wagener  was  bom  at  Charleston,  S.  C, 
May  27,  1887.  His  preliminary  education  was  received  at 
the  High  School  of  Charleston.  He  then  attended  the  College 
of  Charleston,  from  which  he  received  the  degree  of  B.  A.  in 
1906.  In  the  same  year  he  entered  the  Johns  Hopkins 
University  for  graduate  work,  selecting  as  his  subjects  Latin, 
G-reek,  and  Sanskrit.  He  also  pursued  courses  in  Roman  and 
Greek  Archaeology  and  Italian.  He  held  the  Fellowship  in 
Latin  during  the  year  1909-1910. 

He  wishes  to  express  his  gratitude  chiefly  to  Professors 
Smith,  Wilson,  Gildersleeve,  Bloomfield,  Robinson  and  Mus- 
tard, and  to  Associate  Professor  Miller  for  their  many  acts 
of  kindness  and  assistance.  Special  acknowledgments  are  due 
to  Professor  Kirby  Flower  Smith,  at  whose  suggestion  this 
investigation  was  undertaken. 


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